Melissa’s story is from The Algorithm, our new weekly newsletter covering all things AI. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Monday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 The crypto industry is trying to get out the vote
The problem for that plan is that crypto owners don’t all lean the same way politically. (Recode)
+ Celebrities are forgetting they used to endorse crypto. (The Information $)
+ It’s okay to opt out of the crypto revolution. (MIT Technology Review)
2 Mark Zuckerberg is making himself unpopular with shareholders
He’s plowing more money into the metaverse, despite their protestations. (FT $)
+ Facebook has lost close to $800 billion of its market capitalization in a year. (Motherboard)
3 Fighting climate change shouldn’t be left to consumers
We can only achieve big results when governments and businesses pitch in too. (Vox $)
+ Children in the US aren’t being taught about climate change. (NYT $)
+ Climate action is gaining momentum. So are the disasters. (MIT Technology Review)
4 The creeping, concerning rise of Rumble
The right-wing’s go-to video site is gaining traction, as Big Tech falters. (The Atlantic $)
+ Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform is growing too. (NYT $)
5 Chinese crime networks are duping Facebook users into modern slavery
Victims are forced into running phone scams and bogus crypto schemes. (LA Times $)
6 Gaming companies can’t ignore mobile anymore 📱
Not everyone has a console, but almost everyone has a phone. (Protocol)
7 The future of plastics could be plant-based
The trick is to crack making them in large enough quantities. (Wired $)
+ Australia’s New South Wales state is cracking down on single-use plastic. (BBC)
8 India’s female tech workers are pushing back against sexism
And it’s women from disadvantaged backgrounds who are suffering the most. (Rest of World)
+ Why can’t tech fix its gender problem? (MIT Technology Review)
9 Returning to the office isn’t so bad, after all
But only if workers feel the commute is worth their while. (NYT $)
+ Bosses need to be consistent when deciding who comes in. (Insider $)
+ Not all offices look the same as they did. (Economist $)
10 How to (temporarily) almost eradicate mosquitoes 🦟
A little bit of genetic editing could help to stop the spread of Zika and, eventually, malaria. (New Scientist $)
+ The new malaria vaccine might not be perfect, but it will save countless lives. (MIT Technology Review)
Quote of the day
“$20 a month to keep my blue check? Fuck that, they should pay me.”
—Author Stephen King makes his feelings on Twitter’s new plan to charge verified users to maintain their verified status extremely clear.