The Download: recycling’s role, and tidying robots
1 Mark Zuckerberg apologized to families harmed by social media
Under some duress, during a Senate grilling. (WP $)
+ X boss Linda Yaccarino acknowledges that the platform needs more moderators. (Wired $)
+ TikTok’s Singaporean CEO was grilled at length, but not about child safety. (Motherboard)
+ Dramatic moments were in plentiful supply during the hearing. (NY Mag $)
+ Child online safety laws will actually hurt kids, critics say. (MIT Technology Review)
2 Autonomous car firm Cruise is hemorrhaging money
To the tune of almost $3.5 billion last year alone. (WP $)
+ What’s next for robotaxis in 2024. (MIT Technology Review)
3 Hackers spied on critics of Jordan using NSO Group’s spyware
In a concerted campaign targeting journalists, activists, and lawyers. (Bloomberg $)
4 AI startups are putting themselves up for sale
They’re incredibly expensive to run, and increased competition has small businesses clamoring to be acquired. (The Information $)
+ One growing startup has ambitions of challenging Google’s search dominance. (NYT $)
+ Make no mistake—AI is owned by Big Tech. (MIT Technology Review)
5 Amazon could soon be liable for the safety of third-party products
A proposed US government order could reclassify it from a retailer to a distributor. (WSJ $)
6 Ovaries may offer clues on how to extend our lifespans
Listen up, longevity bros. (FT $)
+ Inside the billion-dollar meeting for the mega-rich who want to live forever. (MIT Technology Review)
7 Product placement is getting an AI-powered makeover
It’s a sneaky new way of getting products in front of eyeballs outside of traditional ads. (NYT $)
+ TikTok could be about to lose a major chunk of its music catalog. (Wired $)
8 Life is imitating art for Ukraine’s video game makers
Apocalyptic survival game Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl has a new resonance for its creators. (The Guardian)
