From 404 Media · 28 stories
Activist Clifford Cawthon, Dressed as Doctor Doom, Protests Seattle's Surveillance Network
Clifford Cawthon, a policy advisor and activist, appeared at a Seattle Public Safety Committee meeting dressed as Marvel's Doctor Doom to protest the city's expanding surveillance camera network. Cawthon used the persona to highlight concerns about mass surveillance, privacy, and the potential misuse of data collected by systems like those from Axon and Flock. This action draws attention to ongoing debates about the balance between public safety and individual privacy in urban environments.
Scientists Confirm Gondwana as Supercontinent, Linking its Formation to Cambrian Explosion
Scientists have confirmed Gondwana was a supercontinent, accounting for 80% of Earth's landmass 550-500 million years ago, by analyzing 25,000 ancient rock samples. This discovery establishes a link between deep-Earth processes and the Cambrian explosion, a rapid proliferation of complex life.
The Restroom Archive Digitally Preserves Public Restrooms Using Smartphone Photogrammetry
Jake Welch created The Restroom Archive, a website that hosts 3D scans of public restrooms, using smartphone photogrammetry apps. This project documents the unique characteristics of these spaces, offering a digital repository of their designs and peculiarities.
Channel 5 Shared Subscriber Email List with Hunter Biden for Memecoin Promotion
Channel 5, a YouTube channel, provided its email subscriber list to Hunter Biden, who used it to promote a new memecoin. This action has drawn criticism and is likely illegal under data protection regulations like GDPR.
Floating Island Appears, Vanishes, and Reappears on Williston Lake, British Columbia
A large floating island of trees and vegetation, measuring approximately 230 by 460 feet, appeared on Williston Lake in British Columbia, then vanished, and has since been rediscovered. This phenomenon is attributed to high water levels and strong winds dislodging a natural raft of driftwood and vegetation, a new occurrence for this reservoir.
Artist Creates 'Digital Camouflage' Shirt to Evade AI Surveillance Cameras
Artist Simon Weckert developed a shirt with a specific pattern that causes AI-powered surveillance cameras running YOLO algorithms to fail at detecting a person. This creation responds to the increasing deployment of AI surveillance, particularly in public spaces like Berlin's Kotbusser Tor subway station.
Thousands of Interstellar Objects Predicted to Reside in Solar System's Oort Cloud
A new study suggests that thousands of interstellar objects (ISOs) may be present in the Oort cloud, the outermost region of our solar system. This prediction is based on models of stellar flybys, where the Sun exchanged objects with other star systems over its 4.6-billion-year lifespan, and it changes the understanding of the solar system's composition.
Man Charged with Felonies for Destroying 3D-Printed Decoy Flock Camera
A Florida police department used 3D-printed decoy Flock cameras to bait vandals, leading to felony charges against a man who destroyed one of the plastic devices. The incident highlights police efforts to deter vandalism of surveillance equipment, despite the low material cost of the decoy.
Darth Vader Impersonator Criticizes San Diego's Use of Flock Surveillance Technology
A person dressed as Darth Vader spoke at a San Diego city council meeting, sarcastically advocating for the city's continued use of Flock surveillance technology to highlight privacy concerns. The impersonator's comments drew attention to the extensive data collection capabilities of Flock's Nova service, which reportedly links license plate data with personal information.
Habeas Dockets Project Makes Previously Inaccessible Court Records Public Online
The Habeas Dockets project, founded by software developer John Kyle Cronan, is publishing habeas corpus filings online with the help of 400 volunteers. This initiative addresses a 2007 court rule that prevents these specific federal court records from being accessible online, hindering attorneys, journalists, and researchers.
Bronze Age Pottery Identified as Early Form of Branding by Scientists
Researchers have identified Qurayyah Painted Ware, a type of pottery from the Bronze Age, as one of the earliest examples of branding. This discovery indicates that the concept of recognizable, reliable commodities has roots dating back 3,200 years.
Texas Man Arrested for Saying "Bullshit" at County Meeting
A Texas radio host and activist was arrested for "tumultuous behavior" after using the word "bullshit" at a Tarrant County Commissioner's Court meeting. The arrest occurred a week after the incident, stemming from his comments regarding proposed polling center reductions.
Telehealth Startup Amble Health Sells $345 Emergency Kits for Nuclear Disaster Preparedness
Amble Health, a telehealth startup, is selling a $345 "Oh Sh*T Kit" containing prescription medications like iodine tablets and Prussian blue pills, marketed for surviving nuclear disasters. The company states the kit is primarily for workers routinely exposed to radiation, though it addresses broader fears of radiological events.
Study Suggests Ancient Colombian Canal Network Built Without Hierarchical Leadership
A new study published in Communications Sustainability suggests that the ancient Zenú hydraulic systems in Colombia, a 2,000-square-mile canal network, were built through collective labor rather than top-down hierarchical organization. Researchers used satellite imagery and modeling to estimate that the construction could have been completed with low labor costs, challenging assumptions about the necessity of elite leadership for large-scale ancient engineering projects.
Norman, Oklahoma Rejects Flock License Plate Readers Over Privacy Concerns
The city of Norman, Oklahoma, has repeatedly declined to implement Flock automated license plate readers (ALPRs) despite requests from its police department. City officials cited privacy and data security concerns, particularly regarding data storage duration and access, as reasons for their decision.
Scientists Model Virtual Alien Cell to Predict Biosignatures on Exoplanets
Scientists created a virtual model of an alien cell and simulated its behavior on hypothetical exoplanets to understand how life might evolve in different environments. This approach helps astronomers identify potential biosignatures, specifically methane-producing microbes, on distant worlds.
Scientists Propose Lunar Biocontainment Facility for Extraterrestrial Samples
A recent study suggests establishing a lunar biocontainment facility to house extraterrestrial samples before they reach Earth. This proposal addresses concerns about potential biological contamination from samples collected during upcoming Mars missions and existing asteroid sample returns.
YouTube bans multiple ASMR creators for violating "sex and nudity policy"
YouTube has banned several ASMR artists, including ItsBunniiASMR and Slight Sounds, citing violations of its "sex and nudity policy" for "sexually gratifying" content. This action has led to financial and emotional distress for the affected creators, who rely on the platform for their livelihood and community engagement.
Arizona Resident Protests City's Use of Flock Cameras with Satirical Surveillance Plan
Jacob Petrosky presented a satirical plan to surveil government officials to the Casa Grande City Council, mirroring the city's use of Flock cameras on its citizens. This act was a protest against the city's $10 million contract with Flock for surveillance technology, which Petrosky has opposed multiple times.
Apple's iMessage Nudity Detection Flags Dog and Deer Photos as Sensitive Content
Apple's iMessage Sensitive Content Warning feature, introduced in iOS 17, has incorrectly flagged images of a dog and a deer as containing nudity, blurring them for recipients. This indicates a misclassification issue with the on-device machine learning used for content analysis, raising concerns about the accuracy of the feature.
Study identifies ancient 'golden age' of linguistic diversity followed by rapid decline
A new study reconstructed humanity's linguistic diversity, finding a "golden age" with tens of thousands of languages between 3,000 and 1,000 years ago. This period was followed by a rapid decrease in linguistic diversity, especially over the last two millennia, driven by the rise of dominant languages and colonialism. The research provides insight into the historical evolution and loss of global languages.
AI Chatbots May Reduce Human Empathy, According to MIT Professor Sherry Turkle
MIT Professor Sherry Turkle's new book, "Artificial Intimacy: Who We Become When We Talk to Machines," argues that AI chatbots are "deskilling" human empathy. Turkle suggests that unlike early digital interactions which explored human identity, AI agents now diminish the user's sense of self by imagining a version of them.
A16z Article Argues 'Enshittification' of Social Media is a Misdiagnosis
A recent article published by a16z features NYU Professor Ruby Thelot arguing that the concept of 'enshittification' in technology platforms is inaccurate. Thelot contends that social media platforms remain popular and satisfy younger users, suggesting that perceived decline is due to older users' changing needs rather than platform degradation.
Businesses Create Hand-Drawn Signs to Protest AI-Generated Marketing
Some businesses are now using hand-drawn signs to promote themselves, specifically stating they will not use AI for marketing materials. This trend emerged as a reaction to the widespread use of generic AI-generated flyers by other businesses. The hand-drawn signs are gaining significant positive attention on social media platforms.
Influencer Fabricates Cease-and-Desist Letter to Gain Attention for Anti-Flock Content
An Instagram influencer, Noah Orion, created a fake cease-and-desist letter purportedly from surveillance company Flock to generate engagement and followers for his anti-Flock content. This fabrication led to millions of views and tens of thousands of new followers, highlighting a trend of influencers creating false narratives for online clout.
Bridget Todd discusses AI companions and emotional use of chatbots in new audiobook
Journalist Bridget Todd's new audiobook, "Love at First Prompt: AI and the Future of Intimacy," explores the emotional use of chatbots, including romantic and erotic roleplay. Todd's personal experience using ChatGPT for emotional support after her parents' deaths inspired her research into how people engage with AI companions.
Former Flock Employee Alleges Misrepresentation of Company's Mission
Jonathan Paz, a former government affairs manager at Flock, stated he resigned due to a perceived misalignment between the company's stated mission of finding missing persons and its practices in public hearings. Paz claims his role involved mitigating community opposition to camera installations, which he felt contradicted the idea of supporting democratically elected boards.
NYC Hosts 'Summer of Ludd' Festival, Protesting Big Tech and Promoting Offline Interaction
A week-long festival called "Summer of Ludd" took place in New York City, featuring events organized without tech platforms or social media to protest Big Tech and promote offline social interaction. The festival included a theatrical protest against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, and aimed to demonstrate that social connection and fun do not require digital platforms.