The fanfiction community is at war with AI — and itself
The fanfiction community is at war with AI — and itself

Over the past week, a new fanworks movement has kicked off, with the aim to root out authors using generative AI. But the detection methods being implemented are questionable, and any fanfic writer could be caught in the crossfire. Broad distaste around the use of Claude, ChatGPT, and other AI tools has long been a […]

The Verge’s annual summer ‘in’ and ‘out’ list
The Verge’s annual summer ‘in’ and ‘out’ list

In the AI slop-loaded, algorithm-powered modern reality, trends come and go – and the tech industry is no different. For the last few years, The Verge staff has compiled a selection of things that are IN for summer and OUT for summer – and each time there are some strong feelings. (Here are the last […]

Microsoft, like, totally gets why students are booing AI-pilled graduation speakers
Microsoft, like, totally gets why students are booing AI-pilled graduation speakers

New college graduates around the country have been booing and heckling commencement speakers who hype up AI. Microsoft would like everyone to talk it out. In a blog post running more than 3,100 words, Microsoft vice chair and president Brad Smith addressed the recent spate of viral clips from graduation ceremonies, like former Google CEO […]

Kill some time with these much needed distractions
Kill some time with these much needed distractions

Constantly being plugged into the news grind is mentally exhausting. Sometimes we just need to take a break, unwind, and do something fun. That’s why we’ve built up a collection of distracting time-wasters for when we need a break from being obsessively online. We figured you might enjoy these harmless rabbit holes, mildly addictive browser […]

Benn Jordan longs for the days of tech that didn’t spy on you
Benn Jordan longs for the days of tech that didn’t spy on you

Benn Jordan may have initially gained notoriety for his music as Flashbulb and later, reviewing synths and effects pedals on YouTube under Benn and Gear. But about five years ago, Benn decided to take his YouTube channel in a different direction. He didn’t stop covering music gear overnight, but as time progressed, his channel became […]

Record Club is trying to be Letterboxd for music nerds
Record Club is trying to be Letterboxd for music nerds

There isn’t really a solid equivalent to Goodreads or Letterboxd for music lovers, but Record Club is aiming to change that. Yes, we have Rate Your Music, but its interface is crowded, and it feels more geared towards longer-form reviews than cataloging your listening habits and connecting with other fans. Record Club is clean and […]

Who gets to own the Luigi Mangione story?
Who gets to own the Luigi Mangione story?

On Monday morning, a judge overseeing the New York state case on the killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO ruled that some evidence collected by police could not be shown to a jury. It wasn’t the only news coming out of the hearing. Outside the courthouse, Molly Crane-Newman, a New York Daily News reporter, captured on […]

Palantir’s true believers are wearing this jacket
Palantir’s true believers are wearing this jacket

In late April, Palantir – the software company that, in recent years, has perhaps become best known for its defense industry contracts and work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement – announced that it would be adding new products to its merch store. The latest offering was a cotton chore coat. At $239 and in bright […]

Alex Jones has uncovered another massive conspiracy
Alex Jones has uncovered another massive conspiracy

Alex Jones may soon lose Infowars, the digital perch that he’s used for decades to traffic in conspiracy theories, to The Onion, the satirical newspaper. But not before he’s uncovered something truly dastardly: comedian Tim Heidecker’s past (publicly available) work. “The Onion newspaper has been rocked by the discovery that their new creative director, produced […]

Digg’s open beta shuts down after just two months, blaming AI bot spam
Digg’s open beta shuts down after just two months, blaming AI bot spam

It’s only been a year since Digg founder Kevin Rose, Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian, and a few others announced the link-sharing site would relaunch, promising a “social discovery built by communities, not by algorithms.” Now, two months after opening its Reddit-like platform to the public, Digg is announcing a “hard reset” that’s shutting down operations […]