Month: June 2023
The Reddit app-pocalyse is here: Apollo, Sync, and BaconReader go dark
Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge
After a month of outrage, protests, and unrest from the community, Reddit has finally flipped the switch to shut down some third-party apps.
Apollo, an iOS app that became a rallying point for the recent protests against Reddit’s imminent API pricing, no longer loads any content from the platform. When I open it up, all I see is a spinning wheel. Developer Christian Selig confirmed to me that Reddit is the one that turned things off, not him: “would have been nice to have been given a time,” he says in an email to The Verge.
Well, looks like Reddit pulled the plug a little early. Apollo started crashing, but I just manually revoked my token and it looks like it fixes the crashing, but no more Reddit access haha. Those folks are fun to the very end! — Christian Selig (@ChristianSelig) June 30, 2023
BaconReader, another popular app, shows an error message for me: “Request failed: client error (429).” When I tap the “Tap to refresh” link, I just get the same error message.
Sync, an Android app, has stopped working too, displaying this message: “Error loading page: 401.” We’ve additionally found a tweet showing an error in a fourth app, reddit is fun (RIF), but one Verge staffer can still see content on the app when not logged in. He wasn’t able to log into his account, though.
We knew this moment was coming: shortly after Selig testified in May that the API pricing would cost him about $20 million per year, he said he’d be shutting it down at the end of June. (The timing stung; a few days before, Apple had featured Apollo during its WWDC 2023 keynote.) Other developers said they’d need to close down as well.
Users were outraged at the company’s treatment of Selig and the developers of some other popular third-party apps, organizing protests to try and get Reddit to budge. But despite more than 8,000 communities going dark, Reddit held its ground, and now some apps are officially kaput. (Not every app is going away: Narwhal, Relay, and Now will still be available, though they will eventually become subscription-only.)
When reached for comment, Reddit spokesperson Tim Rathschmidt pointed to the company’s fact sheet about its API changes, which was just updated on Friday, as well as a Friday evening post from a Reddit admin confirming that the new API rate limits would be enforced “shortly.”
This week, I asked Selig if he planned to still use Reddit after he shuts down Apollo. “Honestly, not sure,” he said. “I’m certainly using it a lot less.”
Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge
After a month of outrage, protests, and unrest from the community, Reddit has finally flipped the switch to shut down some third-party apps.
Apollo, an iOS app that became a rallying point for the recent protests against Reddit’s imminent API pricing, no longer loads any content from the platform. When I open it up, all I see is a spinning wheel. Developer Christian Selig confirmed to me that Reddit is the one that turned things off, not him: “would have been nice to have been given a time,” he says in an email to The Verge.
Well, looks like Reddit pulled the plug a little early. Apollo started crashing, but I just manually revoked my token and it looks like it fixes the crashing, but no more Reddit access haha. Those folks are fun to the very end!
— Christian Selig (@ChristianSelig) June 30, 2023
BaconReader, another popular app, shows an error message for me: “Request failed: client error (429).” When I tap the “Tap to refresh” link, I just get the same error message.
Sync, an Android app, has stopped working too, displaying this message: “Error loading page: 401.” We’ve additionally found a tweet showing an error in a fourth app, reddit is fun (RIF), but one Verge staffer can still see content on the app when not logged in. He wasn’t able to log into his account, though.
We knew this moment was coming: shortly after Selig testified in May that the API pricing would cost him about $20 million per year, he said he’d be shutting it down at the end of June. (The timing stung; a few days before, Apple had featured Apollo during its WWDC 2023 keynote.) Other developers said they’d need to close down as well.
Users were outraged at the company’s treatment of Selig and the developers of some other popular third-party apps, organizing protests to try and get Reddit to budge. But despite more than 8,000 communities going dark, Reddit held its ground, and now some apps are officially kaput. (Not every app is going away: Narwhal, Relay, and Now will still be available, though they will eventually become subscription-only.)
When reached for comment, Reddit spokesperson Tim Rathschmidt pointed to the company’s fact sheet about its API changes, which was just updated on Friday, as well as a Friday evening post from a Reddit admin confirming that the new API rate limits would be enforced “shortly.”
This week, I asked Selig if he planned to still use Reddit after he shuts down Apollo. “Honestly, not sure,” he said. “I’m certainly using it a lot less.”
ESPN Layoffs to Cut Costs Include Jalen Rose, Jeff Van Gundy and Suzy Kolber
The layoffs included several well known broadcasters, including Suzy Kolber, Jeff Van Gundy and Jalen Rose.
The layoffs included several well known broadcasters, including Suzy Kolber, Jeff Van Gundy and Jalen Rose.
Arizona is running out of water. Big Tech data centers are partly to blame
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submitted by /u/thebelsnickle1991
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Algorithmic Influence Exposed: How Meta Utilizes AI to Shape Content on Facebook and Instagram
In the ever-evolving world of social media, algorithms play a crucial role in determining what content we see and interact
The post Algorithmic Influence Exposed: How Meta Utilizes AI to Shape Content on Facebook and Instagram appeared first on ReadWrite.
In the ever-evolving world of social media, algorithms play a crucial role in determining what content we see and interact with. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has recently taken a step towards transparency by shedding light on the inner workings of its AI-powered algorithms. In this article, we will delve into how Meta uses artificial intelligence (AI) to shape the content on its platforms, providing you with a better understanding of the process and empowering you to have more control over the content you consume.
Meta’s commitment to openness, transparency, and accountability is the driving force behind its decision to demystify its social media algorithms. Nick Clegg, Meta’s President of Global Affairs, emphasizes the importance of addressing concerns about powerful technologies like AI through openness. In a recent blog post, Clegg states, “With rapid advances taking place with powerful technologies like generative AI, it’s understandable that people are both excited by the possibilities and concerned about the risks. We believe that the best way to respond to those concerns is with openness.”
Meta has introduced “service cards” that provide valuable insights into how content is ranked and recommended on Facebook and Instagram. These cards offer a comprehensive overview of the AI systems behind various features, including the Feed, Stories, Reels, and other content discovery mechanisms. By examining these cards, users can gain a deeper understanding of the algorithms’ inner workings and make informed decisions about the content they encounter.
One of the prominent system cards focuses on Instagram Explore, a feature that showcases users photo and reels content from accounts they don’t follow. The card outlines a three-step process that powers the automated AI recommendation engine:
Gather Inventory: The system collects public Instagram content, such as photos and reels, that adhere to Meta’s quality and integrity rules.
Leverage Signals: The AI system analyzes how users engage with similar content or interests, using these “input signals” to inform the recommendation process.
Rank Content: Based on the previous steps, the AI system ranks the content, prioritizing items that are predicted to be of greater interest to the user and placing them higher in the Explore tab.
Users have the ability to influence this process by saving content they enjoy, indicating to the system that they would like to see similar content in the future. Conversely, marking content as “not interested” helps the system filter out similar content from the user’s recommendations. For those who prefer to explore content that hasn’t been personalized by the algorithm, selecting “Not personalized” in the Explore filter allows them to view reels and photos that are not specifically tailored to their preferences.
Meta aims to empower users by providing them with tools and features that allow them to better understand and control the content they encounter on Facebook and Instagram. The “Why Am I Seeing This?” feature, which has been available for some time, is being expanded to cover Facebook Reels, Instagram Reels, and Instagram’s Explore tab. This feature enables users to click on individual reels and gain insights into how their previous activity may have influenced the algorithm to display that particular piece of content.
Additionally, Instagram is testing a new feature that allows users to mark recommended reels as “Interested,” indicating their desire to see more similar content in the future. This feature complements the existing option to mark content as “Not Interested,” which has been available since 2021. These features put users in the driver’s seat, granting them the ability to shape their content recommendations based on their preferences and interests.
Meta is also taking steps to facilitate research and provide access to public data from Instagram and Facebook. In the coming weeks, Meta plans to roll out its Content Library and API, a suite of tools designed for researchers. This comprehensive resource will allow researchers to search, explore, and filter public content, enabling them to gain valuable insights into the platforms. To ensure privacy and compliance, researchers will be required to apply for access through approved partners, starting with the University of Michigan’s Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research. Meta’s Content Library and API will provide unparalleled access to publicly-available content, furthering the company’s commitment to data-sharing and transparency.
Meta’s decision to provide detailed explanations of its AI algorithms stems from both its commitment to transparency and external factors such as regulatory scrutiny. The explosive growth of AI technology has drawn attention from regulators worldwide, who are concerned about the collection, management, and utilization of personal data by these systems. While Meta’s algorithms are not new, the company’s past mismanagement of user data during the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the public’s demand for greater transparency in platforms like TikTok have underscored the need for increased communication and openness.
The post Algorithmic Influence Exposed: How Meta Utilizes AI to Shape Content on Facebook and Instagram appeared first on ReadWrite.
Lawsuit Says OpenAI Violated US Authors’ Copyrights To Train AI Chatbot
Two U.S. authors have filed a proposed class action lawsuit against OpenAI, claiming that the company infringed their copyrights by using their works without permission to train its generative AI system, ChatGPT. The plaintiffs, Massachusetts-based writers Paul Tremblay and Mona Awad, claim the data used to train ChatGPT included thousands of books, including those from illegal “shadow libraries.” Reuters reports: The complaint estimated that OpenAI’s training data incorporated over 300,000 books, including from illegal “shadow libraries” that offer copyrighted books without permission. Awad is known for novels including “13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl” and “Bunny.” Tremblay’s novels include “The Cabin at the End of the World,” which was adapted in the M. Night Shyamalan film “Knock at the Cabin” released in February.
Tremblay and Awad said ChatGPT could generate “very accurate” summaries of their books, indicating that they appeared in its database. The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of money damages on behalf of a nationwide class of copyright owners whose works OpenAI allegedly misused.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Two U.S. authors have filed a proposed class action lawsuit against OpenAI, claiming that the company infringed their copyrights by using their works without permission to train its generative AI system, ChatGPT. The plaintiffs, Massachusetts-based writers Paul Tremblay and Mona Awad, claim the data used to train ChatGPT included thousands of books, including those from illegal “shadow libraries.” Reuters reports: The complaint estimated that OpenAI’s training data incorporated over 300,000 books, including from illegal “shadow libraries” that offer copyrighted books without permission. Awad is known for novels including “13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl” and “Bunny.” Tremblay’s novels include “The Cabin at the End of the World,” which was adapted in the M. Night Shyamalan film “Knock at the Cabin” released in February.
Tremblay and Awad said ChatGPT could generate “very accurate” summaries of their books, indicating that they appeared in its database. The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of money damages on behalf of a nationwide class of copyright owners whose works OpenAI allegedly misused.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
China Far Outranks the U.S in High-Speed Rail. Here’s Why.
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The Game Boy that survived the Gulf War has been removed from Nintendo New York
Photo by Sean Hollister
Ever heard the urban legend about how the original Nintendo Game Boy survived a bomb? I have reason to believe that’s not true. But until recently, the flagship Nintendo Store at New York City’s Rockefeller Center housed an original Game Boy that, it claimed, was damaged in a bombing during Operation Desert Storm.
We just confirmed with Nintendo New York that, after many years on display, the Gulf War Game Boy is no longer there. VideoGameArt&Tidbits was the first to report the news; they say a worker told them it was returned to Nintendo’s US headquarters in Washington state.
We spoke to the store… and the owner
If it’s true, and if it’s not coming back, we’re hoping that Nintendo will display it somewhere else. But just in case it doesn’t, here are five 4K images of the Gulf War Game Boy for posterity.
I shot these photos with a Pixel 3 when I visited the store in 2019. You can download them, blow them up, freely share them if you like (I didn’t shoot these ones for work.) Just link back if you do please?
Photo by Sean Hollister
Click for 4K image.
Photo by Sean Hollister
Click for 4K image.
Photo by Sean Hollister
Click for 4K image.
Photo by Sean Hollister
Click for 4K image.
Photo by Sean Hollister
Click for 4K image.
Photo by Sean Hollister
Click for 4K image.
Me, I figure this Game Boy probably survived because the back was mostly unscathed — and because, its original owner confirms to The Verge, it didn’t actually get hit by a bomb.
The Game Boy originally belonged to Stephan Scoggins, a ‘90s Nintendo Power reader who asked the Nintendo-owned magazine if he could get a new Game Boy in exchange. At the time, he simply said that it was “claimed by a fire while I was stationed in the Middle East,” when he was a registered nurse serving in Desert Storm.
Image: Nintendo Power
The Nintendo Power origin story, found at this link.
Here’s what Nintendo Power’s editors wrote in July 1991:
When we received Stephan‘s Game Boy from the Middle East, we thought that it was a goner. The back of the unit was in fair condition, but the front was charred and blistered from the heat of the fire. As an experiment, we popped in a Tetris Game Pak, plugged in a Battery Pak, and flipped on the power switch. When we heard its distinctive “Ping!” we couldn’t believe it! The Control Pad and A and B Buttons suffered melt down, but the Start and Select Buttons worked perfectly. Game Boy is even tougher than we thought it was! Of course, we don’t recommend that you subject your Game Boy to trial by fire, but in this case, we replaced Stephan’s Game Boy as a special “Desert Storm” courtesy.
Scoggins tells The Verge that yes, it was a fire. “It wasn’t a bombing, it was that the tent burned down.”
He suspects two different events were conflated. There was a bombing at that location, Scoggins says, but “it wasn’t one we were involved in.” We’ll be speaking to Scoggins more about his Game Boy soon.
Nintendo PR didn’t immediately have a comment on the Gulf War Game Boy. I think we can all agree that, bombing or no, it belongs in a museum.
Photo by Sean Hollister
Ever heard the urban legend about how the original Nintendo Game Boy survived a bomb? I have reason to believe that’s not true. But until recently, the flagship Nintendo Store at New York City’s Rockefeller Center housed an original Game Boy that, it claimed, was damaged in a bombing during Operation Desert Storm.
We just confirmed with Nintendo New York that, after many years on display, the Gulf War Game Boy is no longer there. VideoGameArt&Tidbits was the first to report the news; they say a worker told them it was returned to Nintendo’s US headquarters in Washington state.
If it’s true, and if it’s not coming back, we’re hoping that Nintendo will display it somewhere else. But just in case it doesn’t, here are five 4K images of the Gulf War Game Boy for posterity.
I shot these photos with a Pixel 3 when I visited the store in 2019. You can download them, blow them up, freely share them if you like (I didn’t shoot these ones for work.) Just link back if you do please?
Photo by Sean Hollister
Photo by Sean Hollister
Click for 4K image.
Photo by Sean Hollister
Click for 4K image.
Photo by Sean Hollister
Click for 4K image.
Photo by Sean Hollister
Click for 4K image.
Photo by Sean Hollister
Click for 4K image.
Me, I figure this Game Boy probably survived because the back was mostly unscathed — and because, its original owner confirms to The Verge, it didn’t actually get hit by a bomb.
The Game Boy originally belonged to Stephan Scoggins, a ‘90s Nintendo Power reader who asked the Nintendo-owned magazine if he could get a new Game Boy in exchange. At the time, he simply said that it was “claimed by a fire while I was stationed in the Middle East,” when he was a registered nurse serving in Desert Storm.
Image: Nintendo Power
The Nintendo Power origin story, found at this link.
Here’s what Nintendo Power’s editors wrote in July 1991:
When we received Stephan‘s Game Boy from the Middle East, we thought that it was a goner. The back of the unit was in fair condition, but the front was charred and blistered from the heat of the fire. As an experiment, we popped in a Tetris Game Pak, plugged in a Battery Pak, and flipped on the power switch. When we heard its distinctive “Ping!” we couldn’t believe it! The Control Pad and A and B Buttons suffered melt down, but the Start and Select Buttons worked perfectly. Game Boy is even tougher than we thought it was! Of course, we don’t recommend that you subject your Game Boy to trial by fire, but in this case, we replaced Stephan’s Game Boy as a special “Desert Storm” courtesy.
Scoggins tells The Verge that yes, it was a fire. “It wasn’t a bombing, it was that the tent burned down.”
He suspects two different events were conflated. There was a bombing at that location, Scoggins says, but “it wasn’t one we were involved in.” We’ll be speaking to Scoggins more about his Game Boy soon.
Nintendo PR didn’t immediately have a comment on the Gulf War Game Boy. I think we can all agree that, bombing or no, it belongs in a museum.