"The Washington Post's crossword puzzle was recently deemed too offensive for advertisers," [1]reports the Wall Street Journal . "So was an article about thunderstorms. And a ranking of boxed brownie mixes.

"Marketers have long been wary about running ads in the news media, concerned that their brands will land next to pieces about terrorism or plane crashes or polarizing political stories." But "That advertising no-go zone seems to keep widening."

> It is a headache that news publishers can hardly afford. Many are also grappling with subscriber declines and losses in traffic from Google and other tech platforms, and are now making an aggressive push to change advertisers' perceptions... News organizations recently began publicizing studies that show it really isn't dangerous for a brand to appear near a sensitive story. At the same time, they say blunt campaign-planning tools wind up fencing off even harmless content — and those stories' potentially large audiences — from advertisements. Forty percent of the Washington Post's material is deemed "unsafe" at any given time, said Johanna Mayer-Jones, the paper's chief advertising officer, referencing a study the company did about a year ago. "The revenue implications of that are significant."

>

> The Washington Post's crossword page was blocked by advertisers' technology seven times during a weekslong period in October because it was labeled as politics, news and natural disaster-related material. (A tech company recently said it would ensure the puzzle stops getting blocked, according to the Post.) The thunderstorm story was cut off from ad revenue when a sentence about "flashing and pealing volleys from the artillery of the atmosphere" triggered a warning that it was too much like an "arms and ammunition" story. As for the brownies, a reference to research from "grocery, drug, mass-market" and other retailers was automatically flagged by advertisers for containing the word "drug."

>

> While some brands avoid news entirely, many take what they consider to be a more surgical approach. They create lengthy blacklists of words or websites that the company considers off-limits and employ ad technology to avoid such terms. Over time, [2]blacklists have become extremely detailed , serving as a de facto news-blocking tool, publishers said... The lists are used in automated ad buying. Brands aim their ads not at specific websites, but at online audiences with certain characteristics — people with particular shopping or web-browsing histories, for example. Their ads are matched in real-time to available inventory for thousands of websites... These days, less than 5% of client ad spending for GroupM, one of the largest ad-buying firms in the world, goes to news, according to Christian Juhl, GroupM's former chief executive who revealed spending figures during a congressional hearing over the summer.

A recent blacklist from Microsoft included about 2,000 words including "collapse," according to the article. ("Microsoft declined to comment.")



[1] https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/advertisers-keep-avoiding-news-sites-and-publishers-have-had-enough-of-it/ar-AA1wNvvv

[2] https://www.wsj.com/articles/advertisers-blacklist-hard-news-including-trump-fearing-backlash-11565879086

Brazil ended daylight saving time in 2019, [1]reports the Washington Post , adding that some Brazilians loved the change, "particularly those who commute long distances and are no longer forced to leave their houses in pitch blackness." But "In the heavily populated southeast, the sky begins to brighten at the unconscionable hour of 4:30 a.m. during the summer, and by 8 a.m., it feels like high noon... Polls [2]showed it ultimately lost majority support..."

And then "After several energy emergencies, and with the prospect of more to come as the effects of climate change intensify, the vanquished daylight saving time is suddenly looking a whole lot better than it once did to some in the Brazilian government."

> Authorities almost mandated the return of daylight saving — a portion of the calendar when clocks are turned forward to maximize seasonal daylight — late last year to conserve energy amid a historic drought that had threatened hydroelectric power generation and drove up light bills. The government is already laying the political groundwork to restore it as soon as this year...

>

> Latin America's largest country is a global leader in green energy. An astounding 93 percent of its electricity comes from renewable sources, [3]according to Brazil's Electric Energy Commercialization Chamber, the majority of which is hydropower. This strength, however, has also left it vulnerable to global warming. As temperatures have warmed and punishing droughts have grown more frequent, the country's water reserves have dropped precariously low at times, jeopardizing its primary source of energy. In 2021, an extended drought depleted the country's water stores, driving up light bills by an estimated 20 percent, [4]according to the National Chamber of Electric Energy. Then came last year's drought, the worst in 70 years, and government officials started to look more seriously at daylight saving.

>

> Alexandre Silveira [Brazil's mining and energy minister] [5]said that month that the decision to eliminate daylight saving had been extravagance Brazil could scarcely afford. "It was massively irresponsible, without any basis in science," the energy official said. "We're living in a period of denial in Brazil in all aspects." José Sidnei Colombo Martini, an electrical engineer at the University of São Paulo, told The Washington Post that decision to end daylight saving amounted to a "national bet on whether it is going to rain." And the bet is expected to become increasingly risky as the years pass. "Brazil has always had a massive amount of available water compared to other countries — storing 12 percent of the planet's surface — but this is being altered," said Suely Araújo, public policy coordinator at the Climate Observatory. Estimates show "we could have a 40 percent reduction in our water availability in Brazil's principal hydro regions by 2040. Brazil has entered a new reality... "

Should other countries end Daylight Saving Time? "People and governments all over the world are having the same debate," the article points out, "often coming to conflicting conclusions."

> Countries including [6]Azerbaijan , [7]Mexico and [8]Samoa have done away with daylight saving time. Meanwhile, [9]Jordan , [10]Namibia and [11]Turkey have gone the opposite direction, opting for permanent daylight saving time. And Russia, discovering there's no way to tell time that pleases everyone, first tried permanent daylight saving time, then scuttled it.



[1] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ar-AA1wU05A

[2] https://datafolha.folha.uol.com.br/avaliacao-de-governo/2024/10/40-reprovam-o-desempenho-do-governo-lula-pt-na-area-ambiental.shtml

[3] https://g1.globo.com/economia/noticia/2024/02/02/energia-limpa-brasil-bate-recorde-com-93percent-da-energia-gerada-em-2023-vindo-de-fontes-renovaveis-diz-ccee.ghtml

[4] https://www.gnpw.com.br/crise-energetica/crise-energetica-no-brasil-um-desafio-que-persiste-ate-2025/

[5] https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/economia/noticia/2024-09/ons-recomenda-que-governo-volte-adotar-o-horario-de-verao

[6] https://time.is/time_zone_news/azerbaijan_cancels_daylight_saving_time

[7] https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/03/08/daylight-saving-time-debate-mexico-end/?itid=lk_inline_manual_12

[8] https://www.timeanddate.com/news/time/samoa-removes-dst.html

[9] https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/2022/10/05/jordan-scraps-clocks-moving-to-winter-time/

[10] http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-04/03/c_137086167.htm

[11] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/pros-cons-turkeys-permanent-daylight-saving-time-yi%C4%9Fit-karata%C5%9F-bnkxf/

Remember that massive [1]botnet run by Chinese government hackers ? Flax Typhoon "compromised computer networks in North America, Europe, Africa, and across Asia, with a particular focus on Taiwan," [2]according to the U.S. Treasury Department . (The group's botnet breaching this autumn affected "at least 260,000 internet-connected devices," [3]reports the Washington Post , "roughly half of which were located in the United States.")

Friday America's Treasury Department sanctioned "a Beijing-based cybersecurity company for its role in multiple computer intrusion incidents against U.S. victims..." according to an announcement from the department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. "Between summer 2022 and fall 2023, Flax Typhoon actors used infrastructure tied to Integrity Tech during their computer network exploitation activities against multiple victims. During that time, Flax Typhoon routinely sent and received information from Integrity Tech infrastructure."

From [4]the Washington Post :

> The group behind the attacks was active since at least 2021, but U.S. authorities only managed to [5]wrest control of the devices from the hackers in September, after the FBI won a court order that allowed the agency to send commands to the infected devices...

>

> Treasury's designation follows sanctions announced last month on Sichuan Silence Information Technology Company, in which U.S. officials [6]accused the company of exploiting technology flaws to install malware in more than 80,000 firewalls, including those protecting U.S. critical infrastructure. The new sanctions on Beijing Integrity Technology are notable due to the company's public profile and outsize role in servicing China's police and intelligence services via [7]state-run hacking competitions . The company, which is listed in Shanghai and has a market capitalization of more than $327 million, plays a central role in providing state agencies "cyber ranges" — technology that allows them to simulate cyberattacks and defenses...

>

> In September, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray [8]said the Flax Typhoon attack successfully infiltrated universities, media organizations, corporations and government agencies, and in some cases caused significant financial losses as groups raced to replace the infected hardware. He said at the time that the operation to shut down the network was "one round in a much longer fight...." A [9]2024 assessment by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said China is the most "active and persistent" cyberthreat and that actors under Beijing's direction have made efforts to breach U.S. critical infrastructure with the intention of lying in wait to be able to launch attacks in the event of major conflict.

"The Treasury sanctions bar Beijing Integrity Technology from access to U.S. financial systems and freeze any assets the company might hold in the United States," according to the article, "but the moves are unlikely to have a significant effect on the company," (according to Dakota Cary, a fellow at the Atlantic Council who has studied the company's role in state-sponsored hacking).



[1] https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/09/18/1728234/us-government-took-control-of-a-botnet-run-by-chinese-government-hackers-says-fbi-director

[2] https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2769

[3] https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/cybersecurity/treasury-sanctions-chinese-cyber-firm-behind-mass-attack-on-u-s-routers/ar-AA1wVSHa

[4] https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/cybersecurity/treasury-sanctions-chinese-cyber-firm-behind-mass-attack-on-u-s-routers/ar-AA1wVSHa

[5] https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/09/18/china-tech-spy-network/?itid=lk_inline_manual_5

[6] https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2742

[7] https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/11/02/china-typhoon-hack-us-election-trump/?itid=lk_inline_manual_14

[8] https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/09/18/china-tech-spy-network/?itid=lk_inline_manual_19

[9] https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/ATA-2024-Unclassified-Report.pdf

If we dissolve acid-neutralizing rocks in the ocean, will it absorb more carbon dioxide?

Climate ventures and philanthropic funders have been spending millions of dollars to find out, [1]reports the Washington Post . "Researchers have been exploring this technology for the last five years, but over the last two months, at least a couple of start-ups have begun operation along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts."

> Planetary, a start-up based in Nova Scotia, removed 138 metric tons of carbon last month for Shopify and Stripe. The start-up Ebb Carbon is running a small site in Washington that can remove up to 100 carbon metric tons per year and committed in October to remove 350,000 metric tons of carbon from the atmosphere over the next decade for Microsoft.

>

> Proponents of the technology say it's one of the most promising forms of carbon removal, which experts say will be necessary to meet climate goals even as the world cuts emissions. But in order for this to make a dent, it will need to be scaled up to remove billions, not hundreds of thousands, of metric tons of carbon per year, Yale associate professor of earth and planetary sciences Matthew Eisaman said... Removing carbon could also help prevent ocean acidification. Although the ocean's chemistry has varied through geologic time, it has become more acidic as it has absorbed more carbon from human-generated emissions, said Andy Jacobson, a geochemist at Northwestern University. The increased acidity makes it difficult for some marine organisms to build their skeletons and shells...

>

> Researchers are still investigating the best strategy to implement the method. Ebb Carbon, for example, takes existing saltwater waste streams from treatment and desalination plants and uses electricity to alkalize it before returning it to the ocean, said Eisaman, who is the start-up's co-founder and chief scientist. Another method is depositing alkaline minerals or solution into the ocean using a ship; others want to enhance the rock weathering that already occurs on the coast...

>

> [2]The growing evidence from early studies in labs and controlled outdoor settings suggest no serious impacts on plankton, which are at the bottom of the food web.



[1] https://www.msn.com/en-us/science/ecology/how-an-antacid-for-the-ocean-could-cool-the-earth/ar-AA1wTU4h

[2] https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/20/4669/2023/

According to [1]Bloomberg (paywalled), Getty Images is [2]exploring a merger with its rival Shutterstock . Following the news, Getty's shares were up 20.3% in afternoon trading, while shares of Shutterstock were up 7.7%. Reuters reports:

> The development comes at a time when Getty Images has struggled to retain customers and replace the lost customers. Its creative and editorial products, two of its largest revenue segments, declined year-over-year in 2023, according to its annual report. The decline in the popularity of stock image websites has coincided with the rise of AI tools like Midjourney and DALL-E 2, which can generate unique images quickly and cheaply. Seattle, Washington-based Getty is considering how to structure a deal that would unite two of the biggest U.S. providers of licensed visual content, the report said. [...] Deliberations are ongoing and Getty could choose not to pursue a deal, the report added.



[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-03/getty-images-explores-merger-with-rival-shutterstock

[2] https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/getty-images-explores-merger-with-shutterstock-bloomberg-news-reports-2025-01-03/

In 2024, Americans [1]spent 23% less on streaming subscriptions compared to 2023 , driven by rising costs, streaming fatigue, and increased password-sharing restrictions. The findings have been reported in Review's annual [2]State of Consumer Media Spending Report . TechSpot reports:

> Of those surveyed, 27.8 percent said they are experiencing streaming fatigue - or the feeling of being overwhelmed by the growing number of streaming apps on the market. And with the cost of goods and services at an all-time high, it's hitting folks in the wallet as well. The report additionally found that the average American has two streaming subscriptions, and watches three hours and 49 minutes of content each day. More than a quarter of subscribers - 26.5 percent - share subscriptions with others to save on cost although with recent crackdowns on password sharing, that might not be an option for much longer.

>

> As such, Reviews recommends downsizing the number of subscriptions you pay for each month or spending more time using free services if you're looking to cut down on costs in the New Year. For example, you could stagger subscriptions by signing up for a service temporarily to watch a specific show or movie and canceling when you are finished. It's also wise to keep an eye out for free trials, discounts, and limited-time streaming deals like those occasionally offered from Internet and mobile providers.



[1] https://www.techspot.com/news/106175-cutting-cord-again-americans-spending-less-streaming-fatigue.html

[2] https://www.reviews.org/internet-service/cost-of-internet-streaming-and-cell-phone-bills/

Cornell Tech researchers have developed a portable device called SoilScanner that [1]uses radio frequency signals and machine learning to detect lead contamination in soil . It offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional methods of testing that "generally involves either sending samples to a lab for analysis, which relies upon harsh chemicals and can be expensive, or using a portable X-ray fluorescence device," notes Phys.org. From the report:

> "In recent years, especially during COVID, a lot of us got excited about having our own backyard garden, or spending more time at home," said [Rajalakshmi Nandakumar, assistant professor at the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech] who's also a member of the Department of Information Science in the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science. "But if you look at instructions for how to grow tomatoes, no one actually tells you that you have to check your soil for lead," she said. "It's all about pH levels. A lot of us, even though we interact very often with soils, are totally unaware of possible lead contamination."

>

> [Yixuan Gao, a doctoral candidate in computer science] said the group was motivated by a map of lead contamination in New York City that Cheng's Urban Soils Lab (USL) had produced over the course of several years of testing for hundreds of soil samples throughout the five boroughs. The testing revealed dangerously high levels of lead in many locations, most notably in northern Brooklyn. About 45% of the soil samples tested by USL had lead levels above 400 parts per million (ppm), the previous EPA recommended screening level (revised a year ago to 200 ppm for residential soils). "This means there is a significant risk when gardening in these urban soils," Gao said.

You can learn more about the device [2]here (PDF).



[1] https://phys.org/news/2025-01-device-radio-reveal-contamination-soil.html

[2] https://www.ewsn.org/file-repository/ewsn2024/ewsn24-final99.pdf

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters:

> China's commerce ministry has [1]proposed export restrictions on some technology used to make battery components and process critical minerals lithium and gallium, a document, opens new tab issued on Thursday showed. If implemented, they would be the latest in a series of export restrictions and bans targeting critical minerals and the technology used to process them, areas in which Beijing is globally dominant. Their announcement precedes the inauguration later this month of Donald Trump for a second term during which he is expected to use tariffs and various trade restrictions against other countries, in particular China. [...]

>

> The proposed expansion and revisions of restrictions on technology used to extract and process lithium or prepare battery components could also hinder the overseas expansion plans of major Chinese battery makers, including CATL, Gotion, and EVE Energy. Some technologies to extract gallium would also be restricted. Thursday's announcement does not say when the proposed changes, which are open for public comment until Feb. 1, could come into force.

Adam Webb, head of battery raw materials at consultancy Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, notes that China retains a 70% grip on the global processing of lithium into the material needed to make EV batteries. "These proposed measures would be a move to maintain this high market share and to secure lithium chemical production for China's domestic battery supply chains," he said. "Depending on the level of export restrictions imposed, this could pose challenges for Western lithium producers hoping to use Chinese technology to produce lithium chemicals."



[1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/china-proposes-further-export-curbs-battery-critical-minerals-tech-2025-01-02/

As UK workers face a tougher-than-usual January return to offices, many large employers, including Amazon, BT, PwC, and Santander, are [1]enforcing stricter in-person attendance mandates . The Guardian reports:

> As of 1 January, BT is requiring its 50,000 office-based employees across the UK and several other countries to attend three days a week in what it calls a "three together, two wherever" approach. Workers at the telecoms company have been told that office entry and exit data will be used to monitor attendance. The accountancy firm PwC is also clamping down on remote working; the Spanish-owned bank Santander is formalizing attendance requirements for its 10,000 UK staff; the digital bank Starling has ordered staff back to the office more regularly; and the supermarket chain Asda has made a three-day office week compulsory for thousands of workers at its Leeds and Leicester sites. The international picture is similar. [...]

>

> Multiple studies suggest that the future of work is flexible, with time split between the office and home or another location, in what has been called "the new normal" by the Office for National Statistics. The ONS [2]found in its latest survey that hybrid was the standard pattern for more than a quarter (28%) of working adults in Great Britain in autumn 2024. At the same time, working entirely remotely had fallen since 2021, it found. One of the most frequently reported business reasons for hybrid working was "improved staff wellbeing," the ONS found, while those who worked from home saved an average of 56 minutes each day by dodging the commute.

>

> UK staff have been slower to return to their desks after the pandemic than their counterparts in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the US. London, in particular, has lagged behind other global cities including Paris and New York, according to recent research from the [3]Centre for Cities thinktank , where workers spent on average 2.7 days a week in the office, attendance levels similar to Toronto and Sydney. It cited the cost, and average length of the commute in and around the UK capital as one of the main reasons for the trend. Despite this, there has been a "slow but steady increase in both attendance and desk use" in British offices, according to AWA, which tracked a 4% rise in attendance, from 29% to 33%, between July 2022 and September 2024.

"Hybrid working is here, it's not going away," said Andrew Mawson, the founder of Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA), a workplace transformation consultancy. "Even though companies are trying to mandate, foolishly in my view, to have their people in the office on a certain number of days, the true reality of it is different."



[1] https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/jan/03/post-christmas-blues-as-uk-bosses-try-to-turn-back-clock-on-hybrid-working

[2] https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/whoarethehybridworkers/2024-11-11

[3] https://www.centreforcities.org/publication/return-to-the-office/

Windows 11 24H2 [1]continues to experience issues with multifunction devices using the eSCL scan protocol , despite Microsoft marking the problem as resolved. According to a Register reader, "It works on a Windows 10 machine, but not on Windows 11, unless both the computer and the scanner are on wired Ethernet." From the report:

> Microsoft issued a compatibility safeguard hold on USB-connected devices using the Scanner Communication Language (eSCL) protocol in November after users who installed the Windows update experienced glitches with device discovery. The issue was [2]reported resolved by Microsoft in December. However, it seems that KB5048667 might not have fixed all the problems for Canon owners. According to our reader: "Canon support tells me that the 24H2 eSCL issue still is not fixed." We asked Microsoft about the situation, but despite telling us it was looking into the problem on Friday, December 20, the company has yet to provide any further details. Canon was more forthcoming. A spokesperson told The Register it was aware of a problem impacting devices using ScanGear MF.

>

> ScanGear MF is a scanner driver provided by Canon and allows customers to configure advanced settings for scanning. Canon does not appear to be changing its code to rectify whatever problems had been brought on by the Windows 11 update. The spokesperson said: "Microsoft is currently working on an OS amendment to resolve this and we are keeping in close contact with them. The timing for resolving this is yet to be confirmed by Microsoft, however we expect to receive the plan to fix in January 2025." Customers affected by the issue, which manifests itself with a communications error message, according to Canon's [3]support forum , are advised to use either native Microsoft software solutions or go fully wired via USB.



[1] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/02/scanner_canon_windows_update/

[2] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/11/microsoft_windows_11_escl_fix/

[3] https://community.usa.canon.com/t5/Office-Printers/Scan-not-working-MF269dw/m-p/432891/thread-id/20039

Samsung and Google are [1]introducing Eclipsa Audio, an open-source 3D audio standard set to debut on select YouTube videos and Samsung's 2025 TVs and soundbars. The new format " [2]could eventually serve as a free alternative to Dolby Atmos , the dominant 3D audio format that hardware makers like Samsung pay to license for TVs and other equipment," reports The Verge. "Samsung says that similar to Atmos, this audio format supports adjusting 'audio data such as the location and intensity of sounds, along with spatial reflections' to create a 3D experience." From the report:

> The two companies [3]first announced a partnership to develop spatial audio technology in 2023, initially calling it Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF). At the time, Samsung spatial audio head WooHyun Nam [4]said the format would provide "a complete open-source framework for 3D audio, from creation to delivery and playback."

>

> The IAMF spec has also been adopted by the Alliance for Open Media, a group that has been pushing for royalty-free codec support since 2015 and counts companies like Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Netflix -- along with Samsung and Google -- among its members. If they also add support for this audio format, it could help it catch on, although it's already taken years for their AV1 video codec to see more use. Samsung and Google are also creating a certification program with the Telecommunications Technology Association "to ensure consistent audio quality" across devices using the format, which also sounds similar to the way companies like Dolby and THX manage the labeling for their specs.



[1] https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-brings-eclipsa-audio-3d-technology-developed-with-google-to-2025-tvs-and-soundbars

[2] https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/3/24335170/samsung-google-eclipsa-spatial-audio-format-2025-tvs

[3] https://news.samsung.com/global/interview-movie-quality-audio-from-the-comfort-of-your-home-meet-the-leaders-of-next-generation-3d-audio-technology

[4] https://news.samsung.com/global/interview-movie-quality-audio-from-the-comfort-of-your-home-meet-the-leaders-of-next-generation-3d-audio-technology#:~:text=%E2%80%9CIn%20order%20to,in%20the%20future

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Rolling Stone:

> Sun pours through the lush foliage of a jungle, bleaching the pale limestone as a rotting man stands in the center of an otherwise empty arena, his yellow eyes leering from beneath a fringe of limp, blonde hair. Positioned around the edge are a hundred bodies, Orcs and Trolls and bipedal oxen shouting, demanding, the death of the dishonorable. Their voices swell into a cacophony of noise before one rings out above the rest, howling, 'Kill the cheater and you'll get 20 gold!' There is silence, and then another frenzy. As I watch, eyes fixed on the dim glow of a laptop screen, I think of the colosseum in Rome -- sweat running down the muscled arms of battle-tested gladiators, the crowd cheering for blood.

>

> This might sound like a moment pulled from a high fantasy drama made for prestige TV, but this is World of Warcraft, a now 20-year old online RPG. Instead of actors parading in front of green screens, this story's cast are streamers that occupy a virtual world. Tensions are high not because they're scripted, but because in World of Warcraft's Hardcore mode, death is permanent. Dejected, though acknowledging the transgression made, Sequisha -- the streamer who was promptly executed for cheating -- sighs, and goes back to the character select screen. He creates a new avatar; it's time to start the game all over again.

>

> Sequisha's execution and subsequent reincarnation is just one of hundreds of stories playing out everyday in World of Warcraft as streamers have flocked to the massively multiplayer online RPG (MMORPG) to play together. Through their strife, and a commitment to staying in-character via roleplay, groups like the guild [1]OnlyFangs have turned World of Warcraft into an RPG within an RPG, [2]playing out improvisational personal drama where the stakes are high . In Hardcore mode, World of Warcraft has become the best soap opera on the internet, all playing out across over dozens of OnlyFangs creator streams every day.

The new "Classic" and "Hardcore" servers were launched in celebration of World of Warcraft's 20th anniversary, helping to reignite interest in the game and increase viewership on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. The Hardcore server, where character death is permanent, attracted top streamers, leading to the formation of guilds like OnlyFangs.

After a successful first season, OnlyFangs reshuffled its roster, embracing a more immersive roleplaying approach in its second season. "What they didn't know was their experiment in World of Warcraft roleplay would inadvertently create one of the best emergent dramas on the internet," reports Rolling Stone.



[1] https://www.twitch.tv/directory/all/tags/onlyfangs

[2] https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/rs-gaming/world-of-warcraft-onlyfangs-twitch-roleplay-1235222436/

The Register's Jude Karabus reports:

> IBM and semiconductor maker GlobalFoundries have [1]settled all of their litigation against each other , including breach of contract, patent, and trade secret suits, the pair say. The details of the settlement are confidential. All that both companies were prepared to say in yesterday's [2]statements was that the deal they'd agreed would resolve "all litigation matters, inclusive of breach of contract, trade secrets, and intellectual property claims between the two companies." They added that the settlement would allow the companies to "explore new opportunities for collaboration in areas of mutual interest."

In 2021, IBM sued GlobalFoundries for $2.5 billion, accusing it of failing to deliver on 10nm and 7nm chip production commitments, which disrupted IBM's hardware roadmap. GlobalFoundries [3]poaching engineers countersued in 2023, alleging IBM misused trade secrets and poached engineers to support partnerships with Intel and Rapidus, potentially compromising proprietary technologies.



[1] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/03/ibm_globalfoundries_settle_lawsuits/

[2] https://newsroom.ibm.com/2025-01-02-GlobalFoundries-and-IBM-Announce-Settlement-and-Resolution-of-All-Litigation-Matters

[3] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/23/04/19/1955203/globalfoundries-sues-ibm-says-trade-secrets-were-unlawfully-given-to-japans-rapidus

Apple Intelligence now [1]requires 7GB of free storage per device , nearly doubling the original 4GB requirement from iOS 18.1. This is a result of new AI features like Genmoji, ChatGPT in Siri, and Image Playground. With further updates expected, storage demands could rise to 10GB per device. 9to5Mac reports:

> Per Apple's [2]website , Apple Intelligence now requires 7GB of free storage. The same 7GB number applies whether you're using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. But it also, since each product does its own on-device processing, adds up for multi-device use. If you want to use AI features across all three devices (which I'd assume most of us do), that's a grand total of 21GB of free space being used by Apple Intelligence. And unfortunately, if you're tight on storage, there's no way to reduce the requirement by disabling certain features.



[1] https://9to5mac.com/2025/01/03/apple-intelligence-now-requires-almost-double-iphone-storage/

[2] https://support.apple.com/en-us/121115

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch:

> A U.S. online gift card store has secured an online storage server that was [1]publicly exposing hundreds of thousands of customer government-issued identity documents to the internet . A security researcher, who goes by the online handle [2]JayeLTee , found the publicly exposed storage server late last year containing driving licenses, passports, and other identity documents belonging to MyGiftCardSupply, a company that sells digital gift cards for customers to redeem at popular brands and online services.

>

> MyGiftCardSupply's website says it requires customers to upload a copy of their identity documents as part of its compliance efforts with U.S. anti-money laundering rules, often known as "know your customer" checks, or KYC. But the storage server containing the files had no password, allowing anyone on the internet to access the data stored inside. JayeLTee alerted TechCrunch to the exposure last week after MyGiftCardSupply did not respond to the researcher's email about the exposed data. [...]

>

> According to JayeLTee, the exposed data -- hosted on Microsoft's Azure cloud -- contained over 600,000 front and back images of identity documents and selfie photos of around 200,000 customers. It's not uncommon for companies subject to KYC checks to ask their customers to take a selfie while holding a copy of their identity documents to verify that the customer is who they say they are, and to weed out forgeries.

MyGiftCardSupply founder Sam Gastro told TechCrunch: "The files are now secure, and we are doing a full audit of the KYC verification procedure. Going forward, we are going to delete the files promptly after doing the identity verification." It's not known how long the data was exposed or if the company would commit to notifying affected individuals.



[1] https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/03/online-gift-card-store-exposed-hundreds-of-thousands-of-peoples-identity-documents/

[2] https://infosec.exchange/@JayeLTee

Microsoft plans to [1]spend $80 billion in fiscal 2025 on the construction of data centers that can handle AI workloads, the company said in a Friday blog post. From a report:

> Over half of the expected AI infrastructure spending will take place in the U.S., Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith wrote. Microsoft's 2025 fiscal year ends in June.



[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/03/microsoft-expects-to-spend-80-billion-on-ai-data-centers-in-fy-2025.html

NetEase has [1]reversed 100-year bans imposed on "Marvel Rivals" players using Linux and Mac compatibility tools in December 2024, following intervention from CodeWeavers' CEO and player complaints.

The game's anti-cheat system had banned players until 2124 for using Proton and CrossOver software on Steam Deck and Apple devices. The company stated on Discord it "will not ban players who are playing fairly and without cheating" but has made no broader commitments regarding compatibility tools.



[1] https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2025/01/marvel-rivals-lifts-100-year-cheating-bans-on-mac-and-steam-deck-players/

Box office returns have started to stabilize. But nine of the top 10 box office hits this year [1]were sequels [ [2]non-paywalled link ] . And the 10th was "Wicked." From a report:

> A year ago, Hollywood's creative community was celebrating the apparent decline of corporate, paint-by-numbers sequels and remakes. Blockbuster ticket sales for movies like "Oppenheimer," "Sound of Freedom" and "Barbie" had shown -- or so it seemed -- that audiences were finally hungry for fresh stories.

>

> You could almost hear the relief emanating from franchise-fatigued writers, directors and producers. "Everything Everywhere All at Once," the wildly inventive Oscar-winning art film that broke out in cinemas in 2022, had not been a fluke! Alas. Mass moviegoing swung squarely back to the predictable this past year, with sequels filling nine of the top 10 slots at the North American box office. The ennead consisted of "Inside Out 2," "Despicable Me 4," "Deadpool & Wolverine," "Moana 2," "Dune: Part Two," "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," "Kung Fu Panda 4," "Twisters" and the 38th Godzilla movie, "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire."

>

> "Wicked," a song-by-song adaptation of the first half of the long-running Broadway musical, was the only top-10 outlier, counting as original, if only by a witchy whisker. (In the alternative reality of Hollywood, a movie can be "original" even if it is derivative of something else. What matters is whether the source material has previously been used for a stand-alone theatrical movie.)



[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/31/business/top-movies-wicked-moana.html

[2] https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/hollywood-s-sequel-led-comeback-projected-to-extend-into-2025/ar-AA1wTWa6?

Meta's AI-generated social media profiles, which sparked controversy this week following comments by executive Connor Hayes about plans to [1]expand AI characters across Facebook and Instagram , have [2]largely failed to gain user engagement since their 2023 launch, 404 Media reported Friday.

The profiles, introduced at Meta's Connect event in September 2023, stopped posting content in April 2024 after widespread user disinterest, with 15 of the original 28 accounts already deleted, Meta spokesperson Liz Sweeney told 404 Media. The AI characters, including personas like "Liv," a Black queer mother, and "Grandpa Brian," a retired businessman, generated minimal engagement and were criticized for posting stereotypical content.

Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah reported that one AI profile admitted its purpose was "data collection and ad targeting." Meta is now removing these accounts after identifying a bug preventing users from blocking them, Sweeney said, adding that Hayes' recent Financial Times interview discussed future AI character plans rather than announcing new features.



[1] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/12/27/1810222/meta-envisages-social-media-filled-with-ai-generated-users

[2] https://www.404media.co/metas-ai-profiles-are-indistinguishable-from-terrible-spam-that-took-over-facebook/

A federal judge in Connecticut refused to dismiss a long-running lawsuit accusing the former Nestle Waters North America of defrauding consumers by labeling its Poland Spring bottled water as "spring water." From a report:

> While rejecting some claims in the proposed class action, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven called it an open question whether Poland Spring qualified as spring water under the laws of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Poland Spring is now owned by Tampa, Florida-based Primo Brands, following multiple corporate transactions. Consumers sued Nestle Waters, then owned by Nestle, in 2017, saying it deceived them into overpaying for Poland Spring with labels declaring it to be "Natural Spring Water" or "100% Natural Spring Water."

>

> The plaintiffs said "not one drop" of the 1 billion gallons sold annually in the United States came from a natural spring, and that the actual Poland Spring in Maine "ran dry" two decades before Nestle bought the brand in 1992. In seeking a dismissal, Nestle Waters said geologists and officials in the eight states agreed that Poland Spring complied with a U.S. Food and Drug Administration rule defining spring water, and each state authorized its sale as "spring water."