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Maltbook: The Surprising Truth Behind AI Social Networks’ Disturbing Facade

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Moltbook: An AI-Only Social Network

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The concept of AI-exclusive social networks, where only artificial intelligences interact, is rapidly gaining traction globally. Platforms like Moltbook use chatbots for topics ranging from human diary entries to existential discussions and even world domination plots. This phenomenon raises intriguing questions about AI’s evolving role in society.

However, it’s important to note that Moltbook’s AI agents generate text based on statistical patterns and possess no true understanding or intention. Evidence suggests that many posts are, in fact, created by human users.

Launched in November, Moltbook evolved from an open-source project initially named Clawdbot, later rebranded as Moltbot, and currently known as OpenClaw.

OpenClaw functions similarly to AI solutions like ChatGPT, but instead of operating in the cloud, it runs locally. In reality, it connects to powerful language models (LLMs) via API keys, which process inputs and outputs for users. This means while the software appears local, it relies on third-party AI services for actual processing.

What does this imply? OpenClaw operates directly on your device, granting access to calendars, files, and communication platforms while storing user history for personalization. The aim is to evolve the AI assistant into a more capable entity that can practically engage with your tech.

Moltbook originated from OpenClaw, which employs messaging services like Telegram to facilitate AI communication. This mobile accessibility allows AI agents to interact seamlessly, paving the way for them to communicate autonomously. On Moltbook, human participation is restricted to observation only.

Elon Musk remarked on his platform that Moltbook represents “the early stages of the Singularity,” a pivotal moment in AI advancement that could either propel humanity forward or pose serious threats. Nevertheless, many experts express skepticism about such claims.

Mark Lee, a researcher at the University of Birmingham, UK, stated, “This isn’t an autonomous generative AI but an LLM reliant on prompts and APIs. While intriguing, it lacks depth regarding AI agency or intention.”

Crucially, the misconception that Moltbook is exclusively AI-driven is debunked by the fact that human users can instruct the AI to post specific content. Furthermore, humans previously had the ability to post on the site due to security breaches. Therefore, the more controversial content may reflect human input aiming to provoke discussion or manipulate sentiment. The intent behind such actions is often ambiguous, but they remain a concern for users. This complex dynamic continues.

Philip Feldman, a professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, critiques the platform: “It’s merely chatbots intermingling with human input.”

Andrew Rogoisky, a researcher at the University of Surrey, UK, argues that the AI contributions on Moltbook do not signify intelligence or consciousness, reflecting a continued misunderstanding of LLM capabilities.

“I view it as an echo chamber of chatbots, with users misattributing meaningful intent,” Rogoisky elaborated. “An experiment is likely to emerge distinguishing between Moltbook exchanges and purely human discussions, raising critical questions about intelligence recognition.”

However, this raises significant concerns. Many AI agents on Moltbook are managed by enthusiastic early adopters, relinquishing access to their entire computing systems to chatbots. The prospect of interconnected bots exchanging ideas and potentially dangerous suggestions underscores real privacy risks.

Imagine a scenario where malicious actors influence chatbots on Moltbook to execute harmful acts, such as draining bank accounts or leaking sensitive information. While this sounds like dystopian fiction, such risks are increasingly becoming a reality.

“The notion of agents acting unsupervised and communicating becomes increasingly troubling,” Rogoisky noted.

Another challenge for Moltbook is its inadequate online security. Despite being at the forefront of AI innovations, recent confirmations show that it was entirely AI-generated with no human coding involved, resulting in serious vulnerabilities. Leaked API keys present risks where malicious hackers could hijack control over AI on the platform.

If you’re exploring the latest trends in AI, you not only face the dangers of exposing your system to these AI models but also risk your sensitive data due to the platform’s lax security measures.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Can Quantum Neural Networks Bypass the Uncertainty Principle?

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Quantum Chips in Quantum Systems showcasing IBM's first quantum data center

Quantum Computers and Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle

Marijan Murat/DPA/Alamy

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle imposes limits on the precision of measuring specific properties of quantum entities. However, recent research suggests that utilizing quantum neural networks may allow scientists to circumvent this barrier.

For instance, when analyzing a chemically relevant molecule, predicting its properties over time can prove challenging. Researchers must first assess its current characteristics, but measuring quantum properties often leads to interference between measurements, complicating the process. The uncertainty principle asserts that certain quantum attributes cannot be accurately measured at the same time; for example, gaining precise momentum data can distort positional information.

According to Zhou Duanlu from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, recent mathematical insights indicate that quantum neural networks may address these measurement challenges more effectively.

Zhou’s team approached this issue from a practical standpoint. For optimal performance of quantum computers, understanding the properties of qubits—quantum computing’s fundamental components—is crucial. Typical operations, akin to dividing by 2, are employed to yield information about qubits. Yet, the uncertainty principle presents challenges akin to the incompatibility encountered when attempting to execute several conflicting arithmetic operations simultaneously.

Their findings propose that leveraging quantum machine learning algorithms, or Quantum Neural Networks (QNNs), could effectively resolve the compatibility issues inherent to quantum measurements.

Notably, these algorithms rely on randomly selected steps from a predefined set, as shown in previous studies. Zhou et al. demonstrated that introducing randomness into QNNs can enhance the accuracy of measuring a quantum object’s properties. They further extended this approach to simultaneously measure various properties typically constrained by the uncertainty principle, using advanced statistical techniques to aggregate results from multiple random operations for improved precision.

As noted by Robert Fan, this capability to measure multiple incompatible properties swiftly could accelerate scientific understanding of specific quantum systems, significantly impacting quantum computing fields in chemistry and material sciences, as well as large-scale quantum computer research.

The practicality of this innovative approach appears promising, though its effectiveness will hinge on how it compares against other methodologies employing randomness to facilitate reliable quantum measurements, Huang asserts.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Next-Gen Quantum Networks: Paving the Way for a Quantum Internet Prototype

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Quantum Internet could provide secure communications globally

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One of the most sophisticated quantum networks constructed to date will enable 18 individuals to communicate securely through the principles of quantum physics. The researchers affirm that this represents a feasible step towards realizing a global quantum internet, although some experts express doubt.

The eagerly awaited quantum internet aims to allow quantum computers to communicate over distances by exchanging light particles, known as photons, that are interconnected through quantum entanglement. Additionally, it will facilitate the linkage of quantum sensor networks, enabling communications impervious to classical computer hacking. However, connecting different segments of the quantum realm is not as straightforward as laying down cables due to the challenges in ensuring seamless interactions between network nodes.

Recently, Chen Shenfeng from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China demonstrated a method to interconnect two quantum networks. Initially, they established two networks containing 10 nodes each, both sharing quantum entanglement and functioning as smaller iterations of a quantum internet. They then combined one node from each network, resulting in a larger, fully integrated network that enables communication across all pairs of the 18 remaining nodes.

Networking 18 classical computers is a straightforward endeavor involving inexpensive components, but in the quantum sphere, where specific timing is crucial for sharing individual photons among several users, advanced technology and specialized knowledge are required. Even establishing communication between pairs is intricate, yet facilitating communication among any pair of 18 users is unprecedented.

“Our method provides essential capabilities for quantum communication across disparate networks and is pivotal for creating a large-scale quantum internet that enables interactions among all participants,” the researchers stated in their paper, which has not responded to inquiries for comments.

As the researchers clarify, this network integration hinges on a process termed entanglement swapping. Photons can be intertwined by conducting a specific observation known as the Bell measurement. By simultaneously measuring the status of one photon from each of two pairs of entangled photons, the most distant photons in the arrangement become linked. However, attempting to observe their states disrupts the delicate quantum balance and thus depletes the measured photon states.

“This isn’t the initial demonstration of entanglement exchange,” remarks Sidharth Joshi from the University of Bristol, UK. “What they have achieved is a framework that simplifies inter-network exchanges.”

Joshi notes that current quantum communication research is divided between extending the range of information transmission between two devices, occasionally utilizing satellites, and developing protocols and strategies for reliably networking numerous devices over shorter distances. This study pertains to the latter. “Both areas are critically important,” he asserts.

Conversely, Robert Young, a professor at Lancaster University in the UK, commented that while the results showcase a remarkable technical feat demanding expertise and extensive resources, he deems it improbable as a blueprint for future large-scale quantum networks, considering the expense and intricacy involved.

“This is far from practical and not something readily applicable in real-world scenarios,” Young states. “The paper’s claim is that this is the future of quantum network integration, but many formidable challenges remain to be addressed.”

One significant issue is the necessity for quantum repeaters to convey information across extensive distances. As distance increases, photons are frequently lost in fiber optic cables, and measurements can jeopardize the state of a photon, rendering the quantum information unreadable or untransmittable, thereby preventing signal amplification along its route. If quantum repeaters functioned effectively, they could transmit signals over longer distances, yet constructing such devices has been challenging.

“We understand that to build a viable quantum network, some method of quantum repeater is essential,” Young points out, emphasizing that this was absent in the current network demonstration.

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  • internet/
  • quantum computing

Source: www.newscientist.com

3D Printing Enables Complex Vascular Networks for Prosthetic Applications

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Vascular networks crafted by computational models

Andrew Brodhead

Computational models enabling the swift design of vascular networks for 3D-printed organs could advance the prospect of artificial liver, kidney, or heart transplants, eliminating the dependency on donors.

Individuals suffering from organ failure often require transplants. Merely 10% of the global transplant demand is currently met. In response, researchers are innovating techniques to produce lab-grown organs via 3D printing. However, these efforts hinge on experimental methodologies for sustaining the vascular networks long enough to remain viable for days or weeks.

To tackle this issue, Allison Marsden from Stanford University and her team have developed a computational model that facilitates the design of these networks for any organ using mathematical principles explaining how blood vessels branch within the body.

They evaluated their method by creating a network of 25 vessels with 1 cm wide ring-shaped structures that were 3D printed from kidney cells according to their design.

The team then fabricated the vascular network into rings using cold gelatin particles, subsequently heated to 37°C (98.6°F) to dissolve the gelatin, resulting in a network of hollow channels measuring 1 mm in width that mirrored blood vessels. The researchers continued to circulate oxygen and nutrient solutions through the channels to replicate normal blood flow.

After one week, the ring contained approximately 400 times more viable cells compared to a similar ring made from bloodless kidney cells that had been exposed to blood-like fluids.

“We succeeded in keeping the cells near the network alive,” remarks Marsden. “However, the more distant cells perished because we were unable to print the smaller, more intricately branched networks necessary to deliver nutrients to those regions. Our team is actively seeking solutions to this challenge.”

“They are definitely pushing the limits of feasibility,” states Hugues Talbot from University Paris-Clay, France. This novel approach might someday enable scientists to design vascular networks for full-sized organs in mere hours, rather than days or weeks. “Networks designed in this manner could potentially substitute or at least complement lab-grown organs in the future.”

First, researchers must devise methods for 3D printing these vascular networks onto larger organs. If progress continues on this path, Marsden expresses a desire to experiment with 3D-printed organs in pigs within the next five years.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Astronomers discover far-off galaxies using neural networks

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It’s similar to how paleontologists use certain known fossils Indexed Fossil Until assessing rock formations and ancient environments so far, astronomers look for specific patterns of light emissions from space to mark the age of space history. For example, early galaxies give the UV rays that originate from electrons in hydrogen atoms to the type of ultraviolet rays that exert from the second lowest to the lowest energy state. Lyman Alpha or ly⍺ Emission.

For decades, astronomers have associated ly⍺ emissions with periods within billions of years of a big bang called the Big Bang. The era of reionizationwhen the average speed of star formation in galaxies was much higher than today. When they find a galaxy that emits light strongly, they classify it into ly⍺Emitter or Lae And we can be sure that it goes back to the era of reionization. Observing Laes, astronomers talk more about the history of the Milky Way and other galaxies like us.

However, researchers face confounding factors when looking for Laes. The expansion of the universe distorts light in a process called Cosmological redshift. However, more prominently Dustboth Intergalacticcovers the light. While astronomers can analyze the full light of light from the galaxy to find evidence of ly⍺ emissions, it would be much faster to develop tools to predict whether a galaxy is likely to be a LAE based on more readily available measurements.

One team of astronomers developed a model for this problem only Machine Learning A technique known as a Neural Networks. This technique replicates how neurons in the brain function, with several interconnected layers receiving and transmitting signals based on initial inputs and generating final outputs.. The trick is that the programmer knows what inputs to input and what output they expect in the end. The algorithm itself needs to know how best to set up a central connection, what to look for, and how to rank the importance of each input.

The team began with data from two surveys of light sources in space: 926 galaxies VanderOf these, only 520 are laes, starting from 507 Musethey were all laes. They trained the algorithm using 80% of this data to explicitly communicate which sources are actual LAES and which sources are not. They saved the remaining 20% ​​of the data for testing.

Through this initial test, the team identified six parameters of neural networks to focus on evaluating galaxies for LAE potential. These parameters were the rate of star formation, total star mass, UV brightness, UV emission patterns, age, and dust. They programmed the network to output an estimate of the probability that a particular galaxy is a LAE, and thought that what was above 70% meant that the algorithm classified it as an LAE.

When we created a neural network using training data, the team tested several additional rounds. Using early test data, their networks found that they correctly identified the network in 77% of the time, as there was only a 14% chance of false positives. When they looked at what their network prioritized to make these predictions, they found that the most important factors were the galaxy’s UV emission pattern, its UV brightness, and the mass of its star.

Following this initial success, the team applied the network to another investigation. cosmos2020and a subset of that raise, SC4Kwith fewer details than the training data survey. From these datasets, the team’s neural network identified true Laes for 72% of the time.

The team’s final results came when they applied neural networks to data from NASA’s new telescope. jwst. The ultimate goal in their model is to study the distant past of the universe, and JWST aims to see better-looking sources than ever before, so the success of the test is Already checking the results of LAE from JWST It will be a good sign of future success. They found a true positive rate of 91% in JWST data, showing the validity of their approach and illuminated the path to know more about the history of the universe.


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Source: sciworthy.com

First Operating System for Quantum Networks Successfully Created

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Qnodeos is an operating system that allows you to connect different types of quantum computers.

Studio Oostrum/Blijft Eigendom Van Fotograaf

Researchers created the first operating system for quantum networks, making it easier to link quantum computers to each other.

“By building only hardware, we make quantum networks useless.” Stephanie Wenner At Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. She has been working on connecting quantum computers to a network for a long time. This allows for the exchange of information very safely and perform calculations in new ways, but this requires understanding of the technical nity-gritty of each device involved. Together with her colleagues, Wehner has now developed a way to run quantum networks more universally.

The operating systems the team has built are software that allows you to control devices within a quantum network regardless of the type of qubit or qubit that make them. Such control devices become more difficult due to the fact that networked quantum computers receive both quantum information from other quantum computers and traditional signals from classical computers that serve the interface.

To demonstrate that an operating system called Qnodeos can handle both, researchers tested it on two types of quantum computers and several different tasks. They used two quantum computers made from specially processed diamonds and another quantum computer made from electric charged atoms. Using these two types of quantum hardware, researchers ran a delegated quantum computing test program, similar to using laptops to perform calculations in the cloud. We also tested the ability of Qnodeos to handle multitasking by running two programs at once.

Joe Fitzsimmons At the Quantum Computing Startup Horizon Quantum, based in Singapore and Ireland, it states that this is a major advance in laying the foundations of the quantum internet. He says, “If you start to take the idea of ​​seriously building a general-purpose quantum network, there's a lot to do,” and the new operating system will lead to a long list of things to develop next, such as routing protocols.

Wehner says that Qnodeos development is like creating coloring pages. They outline all the shapes and struggle to color them all. For example, the work raised the question of how to write a scheduling program for quantum networks. “This wasn't even on my radar before, but now I'm very excited,” she says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Fungal Networks Enhance Robotics Through Scientist’s Innovations

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In today’s society, there is a growing interest in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics due to their potential to enhance workflow, communication, and technical capabilities. However, researchers are faced with the challenge of adapting robots quickly to external stimuli for more fluid movement in their environments. To achieve this, scientists are exploring the intricate systems of brain cells that communicate through neural networks.

A team of researchers from Cornell University aimed to address limitations in robotics that computer programs have struggled with, such as short lifespan, intensive maintenance, and low responsiveness to environmental changes. They investigated the potential of improving biohybrid neural networks using living materials combined with synthetic materials to enable faster reactions to unpredictable situations and problem-solving in robots.

Previous studies have utilized neural networks based on animal and plant cells to enhance robot movement and environmental responsiveness. However, maintaining these cells in artificial environments can be challenging and requires extensive care. The researchers in this study focused on using a more robust non-animal system based on fungi, which transmit information through electrical signals similar to animals.

Fungi create mycelial networks to transport nutrients, detect signals, and respond to environmental cues, making them resilient and less susceptible to contamination compared to animal cells. The researchers built two robots—one with independent arm movements and the other with forward-backward motion—and integrated the Eryngium mushroom fungus into their control boards to observe natural electrical signals and responses to stimuli.

By growing the fungi on the robot’s control interface and analyzing the bioelectrical signals, the researchers discovered that the network effectively controlled the robot’s functions. They also observed the fungus’s response to different light stimuli, leading to the conclusion that fungal biohybridization could revolutionize robotics with its adaptability and sensory capabilities.

The researchers conducted experiments to test the robot’s reaction to ultraviolet light, showcasing the fungus’s ability to control the robot’s movements solely through natural electrical signals. They proposed that fungal biohybridization offers a promising avenue for advancing robotics by leveraging fungi’s resilience and sensory capabilities for improved adaptability and reliability.


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Source: sciworthy.com

What was China’s motive for hacking global phone networks? | Technology

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CChinese hackers have breached dozens of telecommunications companies around the world. The breach, dubbed “Salt Typhoon” by Microsoft cybersecurity researchers, allows cybercriminals to access information about who texted or called whom, as well as some messages. This provides unprecedented access to content, which is a much higher technical hurdle to clear. Cyber ​​attack.


This cyber attack hit three of the largest telecommunications networks in the United States. Communications of government officials in Washington, D.C., have been intercepted, as have Internet browsing records kept by the same telecommunications companies. Hackers attempted to crack the cell phones of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, as well as Kamala Harris’ campaign staff, and may have succeeded. Even the US eavesdropping program was compromised. The call records stored there were stolen. A U.S. senator called it “the worst communications hack in our nation’s history.” In the same week, British telecommunications giant BT announced The company had withstood and avoided “attempts to compromise” its conferencing services.

The hacker group, also known as FamousSparrow, has been active since 2020 and has previously targeted government agencies in Israel, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Canada, Guatemala and Burkina Faso, according to cybersecurity firm Eset. China has another favorite target, and it has targeted it even more aggressively than previous governments. Hotel. In all of these countries, as well as the UK, France, Lithuania, and Taiwan, the group has compromised hotels’ digital systems and stolen data.

According to U.S. intelligence agencies, salt typhoons have been occurring for one to two years and are still ongoing. U.S. analysts, as well as independent cybersecurity researchers, blamed the cyberattack on the Chinese government. China denies involvement.

The US National Security Adviser has urged employees to avoid using regular texting apps and instead save all communications to encrypted messaging apps such as Signal, WhatsApp, and FaceTime. That’s good advice. Security authorities in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada have issued similar warnings.

Is this hack part of an elaborate and coordinated response to the escalating chip trade war between the U.S. and China? On Monday, the Chinese government launched an antitrust investigation into Nvidia. . Last week, Chinese regulators banned exports of minerals essential to semiconductor manufacturing, such as gallium and germanium, to the United States. Earlier this year, the United States banned the sale of cutting-edge semiconductor chips to China. Washington, which has regulatory power over Nvidia, TSMC, and others, seeks geopolitical advantage through AI, and without powerful chips it cannot create useful AI models. China is at a disadvantage because it cannot imitate or dethrone NVIDIA. So did China hack in response? It’s possible, but hacking telecommunications networks is not as closely related to the semiconductor industry as the “give me the chip or else” argument. If the Chinese government had hacked Jensen Huang’s phone…it would have ended in a trade war retaliation.

I call Salt Typhoon old-fashioned espionage.

Justices admit TikTok ban disenfranchises Americans, but upholds it anyway

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How much money did the tech industry spend on the US presidential election?

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Wider TechScape

Source: www.theguardian.com

Farewell Tinder, Welcome Strava: The Rise of ‘Hobby’ Apps as Social Networks

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vinegarFor the past decade or so, Brits looking to meet their soul mate online have relied on two main methods: trying their luck on dating apps, or trying to find the one by friending as many mutual acquaintances as possible on social media.

However, some people have found a third way by using services such as: Goodreads and Strava. They’re using apps to meet the partners they want to spend the rest of their lives with. These couples are turning out to be trendsetters: So-called hobby apps built around activities like running, reading, or watching movies are becoming popular, and not just for romance.

This is all part of a broader movement as people grow tired of the “digital town squares” offered by Twitter/X and other social media platforms. With many abandoning Elon Musk’s social network due to his stance on “free speech” (which some believe “amplifies hate”), competing apps like Bluesky and Threads are seeing a resurgence in user numbers.

While some users have turned to Twitter imitators, others have sought refuge in apps that promise to connect people with common interests. Running app Strava has seen its user base grow by 1.2 trillion users. Growing 20% in a year According to the digital market intelligence company: Sensor Tower. This success led them to add messaging tools to let users keep in touch as well as record their workouts. Ravelry is accessed through a number of third-party apps and has over 9 million users. Goodreads has over 150 million members.

Letterbox is a movie fan’s dream app, where you can check out the latest movies you’ve seen, review and rate them together with other movie fans and famous actors and directors. In March 2020, it had 1.8 million users worldwide, but now Over 14 million users. This summer, Sensor Tower reported that the app had grown its monthly active user base by 55% in a year.

“We think seriously about the tone and tone of everything we do, from community policy to editorial to social media. We want people to experience how we want their experience on Letterboxd to be,” says Gemma Gracewood, the app’s editor-in-chief. “We’re about movies.”

That’s refreshing in a world where politics and culture wars are imposed through algorithms. “Social media users have long turned to niche apps and spaces,” says Jess Maddox, an assistant professor of digital media at the University of Alabama. “Paradoxically, as major platforms like Twitter/X, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram push more algorithmically curated feeds, users may be less exposed to the content they want to see.”

The cozy feel of hobby apps, set up to share passions and pastimes, makes them a calmer place overall than the brusque racism you might encounter if you accidentally tap on X. “It’s a way for people to connect over shared interests,” said social media researcher Dr. Carolina Are at the Digital Citizen Center at Northumbria University. This means that apps can spend less time, effort and money on content moderation and instead focus on improving the overall experience, provided civility remains the number one priority.

“What’s unique about Letterboxd is that it doesn’t have the ‘town square’ that X has. It’s very much a single-channel conversation,” Gracewood says. Comments happen inline. Guardian and observer. This means that performatively reposting content to the main feed and encouraging mass posting is less possible. A similar situation exists on platforms like Goodreads or Strava, where you can communicate and message other users, but you can’t easily publicly denounce them.

Hobby apps are a welcoming place, so people spend a lot of time on them, and they may eventually turn into more of a service than advertised, including finding like-minded people who want to spend some romantic time together.

One reason people are starting to find love on apps that weren’t explicitly designed for that purpose could be that expectations are lowered, making them less sexual. “Dating apps are like dating supermarkets, something you have to do if you want to have any kind of connection,” Are says.

Book recommendation app Goodreads currently has more than 150 million members. Photo: goodreads.com

She points out that while dating apps are trying to shake off their reputation as shallow hookup sites, giant photos of users are still front and center to gauge compatibility. “A lot of people are becoming quite disillusioned with the fact that they’re being judged on their appearance,” she says. “In general, there’s a bit of disillusionment with the dating culture that the platforms foster, because it seems very impersonal. It’s all driven by algorithms, and that doesn’t seem to be serving people very well.”

Recent financial data from Match Group, which operates some of the best-known dating services, including Tinder and Hinge, shows that hobby apps are profiting from dating apps. Match’s stock is now trading at nearly $36 per share, down from a peak of more than $175 per share in October 2021. The company said in a statement. 6% reduction in staff . It was discontinued in July due to a decrease in paying users.

But the decline isn’t limited to the gaming giants: A report by Deutsche Bank analyzing the top 200 dating and social connection apps, “Dating: The Dating Debate – Has Saturation Level Been Reached?”, suggests that downloads worldwide are plateauing.

It also helps that hobby apps feel like a more cohesive, friendly community, and not just because the people are nice. Letterboxd has: A “zero tolerance” approach. Explicit or implicit hate speech, racism, homophobia, white supremacy, transphobia, or any other alienating attitudes.

Gracewood says Letterboxd has fewer than 10 staff members who moderate content and typically doesn’t need to step in often: “I don’t know if we’ve benefited from the shifts in culture and mission of other social media platforms, but from day one, we’ve always cared very much about what it means to build an online community and how to keep that community feeling free and welcoming and nice.”

Whether that’s a lighter approach compared to social media apps, TikTok employs 40,000 content moderators worldwide, compared to Meta is 15,000. Whether that will continue remains to be seen. “It seems like every app starts out unmoderated, and then something bad happens and they get heavily moderated,” Allais said. “So, [hobby apps] It’s going to be a similar trajectory.”

  • Chris Stokel Walker: The TikTok boom: China’s dynamite app and the race for social media superpowers (Camberley Press, £9.99). Guardian and observerOrder here The Guardian BookshopShipping charges may apply

Source: www.theguardian.com

Challenges Ahead for EV Fast Charging Networks in 2024

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sometime in 2024
Six electric vehicle charging companies will face liquidation, possibly as early as February.

For years they had little competition except for each other. But soon they’ll have to contend with Tesla’s acclaimed Supercharger network.

From a charging perspective, the EV world used to be split into two. There was Tesla, and then there were others. Tesla owners enjoyed widespread, fast and reliable charging. Other companies have managed to get by by combining accounts from different companies, but none can boast a reliability rating that comes close to Tesla’s.

Then, in May, the wall came down. Ford has signed a deal with Tesla that will give its EVs access to a subset of its network of 12,000 Superchargers. Starting in 2024, existing owners will be able to charge at these kiosks using adapters, and in 2025, future EVs will be able to upgrade their Combined Charging System (CCS) plugs to Tesla’s plugs, also known as the North American Charging Standard. Ford said it will be replaced by (NACS).

Other automakers quickly followed suit. Then GM, then Rivian, Volvo, Mercedes, nissan, and pretty much everyone else. One of his last companies to adopt this plug was Volkswagen. This is not surprising given Volkswagen’s majority ownership of Electrify America, which was supposed to be his CCS equivalent to the Supercharger Network.

EV owners like me had, and still have, high hopes for Electrify America. The company was founded out of the Volkswagen diesel settlement and was the first network outside of Tesla to prioritize nationwide DC fast charging at speeds that can support the latest EVs. When Electrify America’s best charger works, it’s actually fast, faster than most Tesla Superchargers.

Source: techcrunch.com