I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 The crypto market is in freefall
With colossal amounts of money at stake, crypto’s volatility now looks less thrilling and more worrying. (New York Mag)
+ The price of Bitcoin has plunged to its lowest in 18 months. (Bloomberg $)
+ Even the most bullish investors are freaking out. (Motherboard)
+ Crypto companies are making major layoffs, too. (The Verge)
+ El Salvador has lost around half its Bitcoin investment. (Mashable)
+ It’s okay to opt out of the crypto revolution. (MIT Technology Review)
2 Big Tech has agreed to disclose more about disinformation
On a country-by-country basis, something tech companies have previously resisted. (FT $)
+ The EU is threatening to fine them for failing to deal with deepfakes. (Reuters)
3 What studying strokes teaches us about addiction 🧠
A particular neural network in the brain could hold the key to quitting smoking. (NYT $)
4 The long fight to get illegal, nonconsensual videos taken offline
Survivors have struggled to get footage removed from Pornhub. (New Yorker $)
+ Deepfake porn is ruining women’s lives. (MIT Technology Review)
5 SpaceX has gained approval to launch its Starship rocket from Texas 🚀
But it has to meet stringent measures to protect the environment. (WP $)
+ This newborn star has a sibling. (Phys)
+ Our maps of the Milky Way have just received a major upgrade. (Nature)
6 India’s officials are big fans of facial recognition
Privacy advocates disagree with police claims it’s only being used to surveil criminals. (Motherboard)
+ Here’s how to stop AI from recognizing your face in selfies. (MIT Technology Review)
7 We need to change how we warn beachgoers about deadly currents
Static warning signs aren’t working. Systems that warn of changing conditions might. (Hakai Magazine)
+ There’s a global movement dedicated to raising awareness of rip currents. (The Guardian)
8 People are increasingly terrified of being canceled
Psychiatrists wonder if it’s a new manifestation of OCD centered around fear of social ruin. (Slate)
9 Electric car designs are getting more creative
While some are becoming more luxurious, others seat only two passengers. (The Guardian)
+ This startup wants to pack more energy into electric vehicle batteries. (MIT Technology Review)
10 What’s the point of drinking alcohol in the metaverse? 🥃
Drinks brands are building virtual bars—but there’s not a drop to drink. (WSJ $)
Quote of the day
“Older people go on the internet for a couple of things. For the younger generation the internet is ‘the things.’”
— Payton Iheme, head of public policy for dating app Bumble, explains to the New York Times how different generations use technology, and what that means for potential risks.
The big story
Lunik: Inside the CIA’s audacious plot to steal a Soviet satellite
January 2021
In late October 1959, a Mexican spy named Eduardo Diaz Silveti slipped into the US Embassy in Mexico City. Tall and well-spoken with slicked-back hair, Silveti, 30, had learned spycraft in Mexico’s secret police. During the Cold War, the capital had become so overrun by Communist spies that the CIA had enlisted the help of the Mexican secret services in their fight against the Soviet Union.