Apple fought the law and — contrary to the song lyrics — it won. Years later, Apple decided it would get ahead of the law enforcement curve by attempting to engage in client-side scanning of iPhone users’ content. That worked out less well for Apple, which (at least momentarily) decided making governments happy was more […]
The HomeSpot Rugged Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker was built to keep up with your adventures. It deflects dust, dirt, and water – and is coated with a rubberized surface that you’ll feel comfortable bringing camping, rafting, and beyond. Best of all, this speaker truly delivers powerful sound that will fill even outdoor spaces with impressive audio. […]
It seems to happen over and over again, and the mainstream media always makes it worse. The mainstream media hears about a “TikTok challenge,” reports on it like crazy, and people freak out that TikTok is destroying the children or some such. And every single time, it turns out that the media got the story […]
In just the last five years, the “right to repair” movement has shifted from nerdy niche to the mainstream, thanks in part to significant support from the Biden FTC and efforts in states like Minnesota and New York to pass new right to repair laws, making it easier and less expensive for consumers and independent repair […]
So much of what is considered [cough] bulletproof evidence in criminal cases is nothing more than pseudoscience dressed in a lab coat. For years, prosecutors have presented science-y sounding “evidence” derived from lab techniques that had never undergone any sort of peer review or blind testing. The government — especially the DOJ — has also […]
Reading through the increasing number of Techdirt articles about AI, the overwhelming impression is that many people think AI is bad, and needs to be reined in before it destroys journalism/creativity/society/humanity (delete as applicable). To see an interesting new phase of an old technology attacked in this way is rather depressing, since it seems to […]
Protests ignited by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s murder of an unarmed black man (George Floyd) spread across the nation following that horrific event. And these protests against police violence went on for months, prompting a federal response from an irked president, who declared Portland, Oregon one of many “anarchy jurisdictions.” The Portland police had […]
One thing that should be evident by now is that every online community eventually learns the need for some level of “trust & safety” or basic moderation to take place. And they quickly find that things are a lot more complex than they seem from the outside. Just try to moderate a medium sized Facebook […]
Because cops are the frailest of creatures and are actively harmed by people, you know, looking at them, legislators have made sure they’re ultra-protected by enacting super shitty laws that elevate cops above the people they serve. “Blue Lives” laws insist cops’ lives are worth more than anyone else’s lives. They add years to sentences […]
The Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Bundle has 8 courses to help you learn how to get the most out of your data. Courses cover subjects like basic terminology and processes for beginners, Tensorflow, regression analysis, Kersa, and more. It’s on sale for $30. Note: The Techdirt Deals Store is powered and curated by StackCommerce. […]
There have been some ongoing debates (going back many years) in the copyright space regarding whether or not embedding infringing content into a website could be infringing in and of itself. If you understand what’s happening technically, this seems ludicrous. An embed is basically the same thing as a link. And merely linking to infringing […]
We noted how as Netflix growth has stalled internationally, the company has turned to nickel-and-diming its existing customers in order to give Wall Street its beloved quarterly returns at any cost. That has included not only last year’s price hikes, but this week’s decision to eliminate the company’s cheapest ad-free tier in both the US […]
Last fall, a few people sent me this fun video from YouTuber Allen Pan, which briefly talks about how he ended up with a MythBusters trademark for clothing and apparel. I didn’t write it up at the time because, while amusing, the discussion of the trademark (and, for that matter, copyright) issues was so confused […]
As we just noted, satellite TV provider Dish Network’s planned pivot into streaming video and wireless isn’t going great. The company continues to bleed traditional satellite TV subscribers, new streaming subscribers, and wireless customers. And the company’s supposed 5G network (spawned during the Trump FCC era) has, by most accounts, proven to be a bit […]
A few months back, I got added to a group chat of Hollywood writers/actors/directors, all seeking to understand what the fuck was going on with AI. And one topic that came up consistently early on was “will copyright protect us” and, if not, “how can copyright be changed to better protect us?” I’ve already made […]
ShotSpotter has routinely claimed its system of mics and location info is crucial to reducing gun crime. The theory is that if you can hear it, you can respond to it, even if officers can’t physically hear these gunshots themselves. The problem with this assertion is that there’s a margin of error. The system can’t […]
These MaxLight mini flashlights are designed to fit in your backpack or pocket. They are super bright and strong enough to be used in emergencies when you need reliable illumination. The 4 modes let you switch from super bright, medium, low, and strobe modes. They have a magnetic base, a kickstand, a rechargeable battery, a […]
We’ve already talked a bit about how Rep. Jim Jordan’s “Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Government” is the exact thing it claims it seeks to stop: a part of the government that is being weaponized to attack free speech. This week, Jordan sent a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, demanding he reveal a bunch of […]
While early “AI” systems have plenty of creativity and productivity potential, early implementations into the already very broken US journalism and media markets have proven to be an ugly mess. In part because the tech isn’t really fully cooked yet. But also because the kind of folks that get to run major modern US media […]
A previous post discussed what the recently released files of the late Associate Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens revealed about development of the Court’s decisions in Lotus v. Borland, MGM v. Grokster, and Eldred v. Ashcroft. This post looks at the disclosures contained in the files for Quality King v. L’anza, New York Times v. Tasini, and Dastar v. Twentieth […]
stLouIST