Curated Commons // Edition 87
Thank you for subscribing and welcome to the 87th edition of Curated Commons. Happy reading, and do pass on the newsletter and share it on your social networks if you find it interesting! It’s free!
Let’s dive right in ($ indicates potential paywall).
Forms that track you before you hit ‘submit’
A new study shows that over 3,000 websites have third-party tracking code that scoops up what you type in real-time. Even before you hit ‘submit’. Have experienced this with an insurance company in India - super creepy when you get a call in real-time when you are stuck deciding whether to go ahead or not. - Read here
One black hole to suck ‘em all!
We have a gargantuan black hole at the centre of our galaxy. And we now have a picture. - Read here
Algorithmic harassment
When you weaponize content-flagging as a tool in culture wars… - Read here
Zoom wants to track emotions
Zoom wants to use AI to predict human emotions. And now 27 human rights orgns have come forward to ask Zoom to drop its plans - Read here
The case for single-purpose devices
Apple announced it is no longer making the iPod. Is there a case for more single-purpose devices in the age of super-low attention spans? - Read here
The soil beneath
Fascinating read on the soil under our feet, and what it holds, and what messing with it can mean for the planet. - Read here
Scammy Indian call centres are a scourge
And tech YouTubers are fighting back big-time. Never ceases to surprise me that these scammy centres have hundreds of young employees, who clearly know they are committing a crime, and at the least are doing something highly unethical scamming seniors out of their retirement money. - Read here
Driverless cars as…mobile surveillance cameras
Autonomous cars are loaded with cameras. And cops are realizing that’s a treasure trove of insights. Coming soon to a consumer electronic device next to you. - Read here
An older piece on Amazon’s Ring is also worth a read here.
Do you ‘romanticize your life’?
Interesting read on how there’s a growing movement on social media to appreciate what we have in front of us. - Read here ($)
Trump is the US equivalent of a Whatsapp University graduate
We need a book on things Trump thought were real! - Read here
Also, this thread showcasing another incredible Trumpism!
Once a YouTuber, always a YouTuber?
YouTubers get fed up of the demands of the algorithm. But can’t keep from coming back. - Read here (also an interesting view on social media brains)
Robots in hospitality
Get ready to see more robots in the hospitality industry in coming years. The pandemic is also a boost given the growing demand for contactless service. - Read here
Ads find their way to…subscription streaming services!
We were sick of ads on cable & broadcast TV. We bought subscriptions by the dozen thinking we will be rid of them. Now subscription companies are taking our money, and bringing back ads! - Read here
New AI system from Meta has a high propensity for racism and bias
Nothing too surprising. Large language models struggle with preventing their AI systems turning racist. - Read here
More Interesting Reads:
Google is adding a virtual credit card feature - Read here
Google joins Amazon in showing interest to bid for streaming rights for the IPL cricket tournament - Read here ($)
Musicians are looking towards video games for a more steady career - Read here
Goldman Sachs report on the “Bamboo Ceiling” - Read here
Are AR filters facial recognition? - Read here
An experiment in future living from the Netherlands - Read here
Private equity took over air ambulances. The result was predictable - Read here
Shrinkflation is everywhere. In the UK - Read here. And in India - Read here
The video of the week!
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