I wrote about revelations that Google had an exclusive deal to put Gemini on Samsung phones *this month*, despite the fact that these deals have now twice been deemed illegal in court

Platformer

Google just helped the government’s case against it

Revelations that the company pursued pre-install deals for Gemini are giving the government fresh ammunition just as the trial heats up

NEW: AI bots caused Wikipedia's bandwidth costs to increase by 50 percent last year, and are still growing exponentially. I wrote about its plan to fight back — and whether it will be enough.

Platformer

How AI bots are suffocating Wikipedia

Scrapers caused the online encyclopedia's bandwidth to increase by 50 percent last year — and its plan to fight back may not be enough

I wrote about Google's leaked 'AI mode' for search and the dwindling number of reasons to post anything for free on the web

Platformer

Google slings more AI at the web

A leaked AI mode for search gives publishers fresh reason for worry — and maybe reasons to strike a deal

I wrote about Google unveiling its 'responsible AI progress report' by quietly deleting the part of its AI principles where it promised not to work on weapons

Platformer

Google is ready to work on AI weapons now

The company’s promise to avoid building AI applications that cause harm has been deleted

It's Hard Fork Friday! This week: TikTok's final hours, the environmental impact of AI, and my ideas to help bring some 💪 masculine energy 💪 back to Meta!!

Goodbye TikTok, Ni Hao RedNote? + A.I.’s Environmental Impact + Meta’s Masculine Energy

“This is truly one of the funniest and most unexpected stories of the young year so far.”

I wrote about Zuckerberg renouncing Sheryl Sandberg's effort to make Meta a better place for women and people of color to work

Platformer

Mark blames Sheryl

PLUS: What executives are telling employees about Meta's move to the right

NEW: Meta has quietly dismantled the system that prevented misinformation from spreading in the United States. Machine-learning classifiers that once identified viral hoaxes and limited their reach have now been switched off, Platformer has learned

Platformer

Meta just flipped the switch that prevents misinformation from spreading in the United States

The company built effective systems to reduce the reach of fake news. Last week, it shut them down

NEW: The head of Facebook Messenger has a non-binary child and last week assured employees that Meta would work to preserve queer voices. Two days later the company deleted its trans and non-binary pride themes in Messenger

Platformer

Meta goes mask-off

Scenes from a Trump transition

NEW: Meta just killed its diversity, equity and inclusion program. Employees aren't buying the company's argument that it's the result of a 'shifting legal landscape.' What they're saying inside the company ➡️

Platformer

Meta just killed its diversity, equity and inclusion program

What employees are saying about the company's embrace of MAGA ideology —and what Meta is telling them not to say

NEW: Platformer has obtained the dehumanizing new guidelines moderating what people can now say about trans people on Facebook and Instagram. Employees tell me these changes are likely to inspire more violence against LGBT people:

Platformer

Inside Meta’s dehumanizing new speech policies for trans people

"A trans person isn't a he or she, it's an it," reads a new guideline telling moderators what is now allowed on Facebook and Instagram