As Big Tech Takes Over Hollywood, the Picture Onscreen Gets Darker

“The Social Reckoning” and other movies reflect growing discontent with Silicon Valley founders. But such films may be at the mercy of the companies themselves. By Alissa Wilkinson It’s hard to remember this, but before “The Social Network” came out in 2010, there was plenty of snickering. Would anyone want to watch a movie about… Read More As Big Tech Takes Over Hollywood, the Picture Onscreen Gets Darker

The media missed the biggest story: How a generation fed on consumerism and hate found its voice

NB: Listen to Arvind Anjum’s interviews with the new arrivals at the protest site. Pakistani youth express their admiration and solidarity with struggling Indian students: BBC report. DS The protest has convincingly established not just the irrelevance of legacy TV channels but also their continued abandonment of basic journalistic norms Kalpana Sharma There were broken… Read More The media missed the biggest story: How a generation fed on consumerism and hate found its voice

Why Is Digital Freedom Making Us Exhausted and Sad? The philosophy of Byung-Chul Han

From “The Burnout Society” to “The Tonality of Thought,” tech philosopher Byung-Chul Han’s ultra-short books reveal why online liberation has felt more like voluntary captivity. Matt Elmore Byung-Chul Han is one of Europe’s most widely read philosophers. His audience in the United States has grown considerably over the last decade, though mostly outside the academy;… Read More Why Is Digital Freedom Making Us Exhausted and Sad? The philosophy of Byung-Chul Han

How social media turned Indian film star Vijay into a political force / Podcast: Making sense of TVK’s victory: Why and how did Vijay win?

Anbarasan Ethirajan When pictures of Madhar Badhurudeen, campaigning in the recent assembly elections in India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, emerged on social media, few thought he would stand a chance. Badhurudeen belongs to the political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), headed by film star-turned-politician Chandrasekhar Joseph Vijay, popularly called Thalapathy (Commander) Vijay. He contested from the… Read More How social media turned Indian film star Vijay into a political force / Podcast: Making sense of TVK’s victory: Why and how did Vijay win?

Dear Parents: Everything You Need to Know About Your Son and Daughter’s University But Don’t

Ron Srigley Universities, in the interest of increasing enrollments (= money), are willing to flatter you and your children so shamelessly … “During one class a couple of years ago, I dimmed the lights in order to show a clip of an interview. The moment the lights went down I saw dozens and dozens of… Read More Dear Parents: Everything You Need to Know About Your Son and Daughter’s University But Don’t

Scientists have found an alarming environmental impact of vast data centers

Laura Paddison The vast data centers that power artificial intelligence guzzle huge amounts of energy but they also have another alarming impact, according to new research. They are creating “heat islands,” warming the land around them by up to 16 degrees Fahrenheit, and making life hotter for more than 340 million people. There are still… Read More Scientists have found an alarming environmental impact of vast data centers

‘The era of invincibility is over’: the week big tech was brought to heel

Ruling that Meta and YouTube deliberately designed addictive products marks possible watershed moment for social media Dan Milmo and Robert Booth The young woman at the heart of what has been called the tech industry’s “big tobacco” moment was on YouTube at six and Instagram by nine. More than a decade later, she says, she still can’t live without… Read More ‘The era of invincibility is over’: the week big tech was brought to heel

‘It’s the most urgent public health issue’: Dr Rangan Chatterjee on screen time, mental health – and banning social media until 18

The hit podcaster, author and former GP says a failure to regulate big tech is ‘failing a generation of children’. He explains why he quit the NHS and why he wants a ban on screen-based homework Emine Saner A16-year-old boy and his mum went to see their GP, Dr Rangan Chatterjee, on a busy Monday… Read More ‘It’s the most urgent public health issue’: Dr Rangan Chatterjee on screen time, mental health – and banning social media until 18