The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 TikTok has created a pro-war echo chamber in Russia
While anti-war hashtags and content has disappeared. (WSJ $)
+ Ukraine’s intelligence services are doxxing Russian soldiers. (Wired $)
+ Russians are hiding bombs and landmines across Ukraine. (NYT $)
+ The state of Russia’s trucks suggests its troops are struggling. (CNN)
2 Millions are grieving loved ones lost to covid
And their mourning is made even tougher by the public’s desire to “return to normal.” (The Atlantic $)
+ Two omicron subvariants are sweeping across New York state. (NYT $)
+ Pfizer’s booster shot is effective in children aged between 5 and 11. (NYT $)
+ Robot dogs are patrolling Shanghai to ensure residents stick to its lockdown. (FT $)
3 Plastic batteries are cheaper and longer-lasting than lithium-ion
So it makes sense they could store renewable energy on the grid. (TR)
4 Elon Musk has offered to buy 100% of Twitter
He says if his offer is refused, he’s going to reconsider his position as a shareholder. (FT $)
+ It’s been a rollercoaster week for both Musk and the platform. (The Verge)
+ But he’s still being sued over claims he was too slow to disclose his shares in Twitter. (Sky News $)
5 How the joke conspiracy theory Birds Aren’t Real took flight
Actual conspiracy theorists seem to really struggle to spot satire. (The Guardian)
+ A Capitol Hill rioter has blamed Trump for ordering him to storm Congress. (NYT $)
6 Mark Zuckerberg wants you to see the metaverse through his AR glasses
He thinks they’ll go on sale in 2024, but even that sounds wildly optimistic. (The Verge)
7 A travel influencer wrongly claimed to be the first woman to visit every country
She was, however, the first to boast about it on social media. (WP $)
8 Endangered animals are still being trafficked through Facebook
That’s despite Meta’s promise to crack down on the practice years ago. (The Guardian)
9 At what age should we talk to kids about crypto?
What a question. What a time to be alive. (Vox)
+ The guy who bought an NFT of Jack Dorsey’s first tweet for $2.9 million is struggling to sell it for anything other than a giant loss. (Coindesk)
+ Wikipedia has voted against receiving cryptocurrency donations. (Ars Technica)
+ Soccer clubs and crypto are not a good mix. (FT $)
10 Vending machines may exist until the end of time
They’re mostly unloved, yet relied upon by millions of us every day around the world. (The Guardian)
+ No, please, not an NFT vending machine. (Axios)