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Trump Order Ramps Up Assault on Union Rights of Federal Workers


In the lead-up to Labor Day in the United States, President Donald Trump escalated his attack on the union rights of federal employees with an executive order that claims to "enhance" national security.
#USA


FFmpeg 8 can subtitle your videos on the fly with Whisper


Media multitool taps Vulkan for GPU encoding, adds VVC support, and dusts off some ancient formats
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Pilot Killed In F-16 Crash During Rehearsal For Poland's Radom Airshow


An overview of the events that transpired, as well as the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash of a Polish F-16.


Archived version: archive.is/newest/simpleflying…


Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.



Best way to get videos to nas from pc


Hey guys! So I have a simple dilemma. The computer i use for video/movies is on a vpn. Sometimes I want to move those videos to my nas.

Now I am just using the mulvad program on the local pc (linux). I dont have it installed on my router (and im not sure if I will yet, since with slowdowns and some sites and applications not working on a VPN, I dont really need it network wide at this point)

But my problem is, my nas isn't accessible from the pc, unless I shut off the VPN, which I dont want to do when in the middle of a big download. Also, it would be nice sometimes to download right to my nas so I dont need to move files.

Is there a somewhat easy solution? Im decently savvy but networking still confuses me sometimes.

in reply to bridgeenjoyer

I think tailscale would fit your use case perfectly.

You can install tailscale on your computer and your NAS. This way, there is a tunnel between your computer and your NAS. In practice you will have a separate IP address for your NAS that you can use from your computer.

It also means that you will have secure access to your NAS from wherever in the world as long as you have internet access.

Then, Mullvad and tailscale are integrated together. It means that from tailscale you get the Mullvad add-on that allows you to use Mullvad as exit-point. Meaning that all your traffic that is not in your tailscale network will go through Mullvad (so in your case everything except your NAS)

It's been two years that I am using that and it's working great for me.

in reply to bridgeenjoyer

A better option, use a container that connects whatever torrent program to the VPN. Only that will be on the PN, and depending how it's setup it will only connect to the VPN, making it unable to leak your IP address if the connection fails. You can just sftp into the NAS that way and is by far the easiest solution.


Google warns Salesloft breach impacted some Workspace accounts


Google now reports that the Salesloft Drift breach is larger than initially thought, warning that attackers also used stolen OAuth tokens to access a small number of Google Workspace email accounts in addition to stealing data from Salesforce instances.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/google-warns-salesloft-breach-impacted-some-workspace-accounts/

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Microsoft Word will save your files to the cloud by default


Microsoft says that Word for Windows will soon enable autosave and automatically save all new documents to the cloud by default.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-word-will-save-your-files-to-the-cloud-by-default/

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MATLAB dev says ransomware gang stole data of 10,000 people


MathWorks, a leading developer of mathematical simulation and computing software, revealed that a ransomware gang stole the data of over 10,000 people after breaching its network in April.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/matlab-dev-says-ransomware-gang-stole-data-of-over-10-000-people/

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TransUnion suffers data breach impacting over 4.4 million people


Consumer credit reporting giant TransUnion warns it suffered a data breach exposing the personal information of over 4.4 million people in the United States, with BleepingComputer learning the data was stolen from it's Salesforce account.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/transunion-suffers-data-breach-impacting-over-44-million-people/

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[Announcement] Starforge PC and Merch Collaboration!


We're really excited to announce that we've partnered up with Starforge Systems to bring you a selection of Path of Exile 2 themed products!

Video: Our Path of Exile 2 PC collection emerges from the darkness! ⚔

The selection includes the exclusive Lumerius PC Case, as well as a spread of Desk Mats, Wall Art and Platelights. Check out some of the amazing products below:





The Lumerius PC case can be purchased by itself or as an add-on to any of Starforge's Voyager line of PCs. Starforge will also have a special edition pre-built PC available, as well as a limited edition PC that includes a Founders Edition NVIDIA 5090!




Each Lumerius PC/PC Case purchased will come bundled with the Lumerius Desk Mat and the Wraeclast Wall Art.

For the full selection of products, check them out over at Starforge here!



[Announcement] Gamescom Recap - Play the Boss Kill Event at PAX This Weekend!


Last week, Gamescom attendees tried out the Path of Exile 2 Boss Rush Event! Watch the recap video below!

Video: Path of Exile 2: Boss Rush Event at Gamescom 2025

Next stop: PAX West this weekend! If you're planning to visit the expo - in between playing The Third Edict - don't miss the opportunity to challenge yourself in boss fights and win cool prizes!

Find out more about Boss Kill Event here in this announcement. Good luck, Exiles!




[Announcement] The Third Edict Launch Twitch Drops and New Discord Quest



Twitch Drops


To celebrate the launch of Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict, we'll be running two weeks of Twitch Drops starting from 1PM August 29th PDT!

Video: Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict Twitch Drops

Week 1 Twitch Drops - Clam Stash Skin + Helmet of the Abyssal


Start Time: August 29th 1:00 PM PDT
End Time: September 6th 4:59 AM PDT

You will get the Clam Stash Skin and the Helmet of the Abyssal after 3 hours of accumulated watch time on any channel in the Path of Exile 2 category during the first week of launch.

Week 2 Twitch Drops - Cape of the Abyssal


Start Time: September 6th 5:00 AM PDT
End Time: September 13th 4:59 AM PDT

You will get the Cape of the Abyssal after 3 hours of accumulated watch time on any channel in the Path of Exile 2 category during the second week of launch.

The drops are guaranteed for everyone who has watched any Path of Exile 2 stream for the amount of time specified above. This promotion is available for all accounts.

Support a Streamer


To support our community streamers, we'll also be offering the Storm of Valako Portal for purchasing or gifting 2 Twitch subscriptions of any tier from August 29th 1:00 PM to September 13th 4:59 AM PDT.

To participate:

  • Log in to your Twitch account.
  • Visit any Twitch channel in Path of Exile 2 category.
  • While the channel is live streaming Path of Exile 2, purchase a cumulative of two subscriptions of any tier to earn the Storm of Valako Portal (Prime Subs are excluded).


Chaos Orb Twitch Badge


As a part of Support a Streamer promo, everyone who purchases 1 Twitch subscription of any tier to any channel streaming Path of Exile 2, will receive an exclusive Chaos Orb Twitch Badge. The promo is available from August 29th 1:00 PM to September 13th 4:59 AM PDT.

New Discord Quest


Complete the Path of Exile 2: The Third Edict quest on Discord by playing Path of Exile 2 for 15 minutes to receive the exclusive Eye of Prophecy Avatar!

  • Start: 1PM August 29 PDT
  • Finish: 4PM September 5 PDT


How do I participate?


PC

  • Once the quest launches on August 29, accept it in the Discord client here.
  • Play Path of Exile 2 for 15 minutes with the Discord client open.
  • Receive your exclusive Eye of Prophecy Avatar!

Console

  • Select Console when accepting the quest in the Discord client here.
  • Sign into your PlayStation or Xbox account and link it to Discord. You can find instructions for PlayStation here and Xbox here.
  • Play Path of Exile 2 for 15 minutes.
  • Receive your exclusive Eye of Prophecy Avatar!


How do I link my Path of Exile account with Twitch?


Visit your Twitch Settings page while logged in. If your account isn't connected, click the "Connect" button for Twitch under "Other Connections". Please also make sure that the sub-account you're linking with Twitch is the one that you want to receive the Drop on. Complete the process on Twitch and you will be redirected back to your Twitch Settings page. If your account is already connected, this page should say "Your Path of Exile account is currently linked to your Twitch account."

How to redeem my rewards?


After you've accumulated enough watch time to earn your Drops, you must redeem them from your Twitch Inventory before the promotional period ends.

The Storm of Valako Portal for Twitch Subscriptions must also be claimed from the Twitch Inventory.

How to enable Twitch Drops on my channel?


If you're planning to stream Path of Exile 2 at launch and want to enable Twitch Drops for your viewers, you can do it via your Twitch Creator Dashboard here.

How do I purchase or gift a subscription on Twitch?


Log into Twitch, using either a PC or mobile device. Purchases may be made on either a PC or mobile device. Detailed information on purchasing subscriptions can be found here, and information on purchasing gift subscriptions can be found here.

Which Twitch subscriptions are eligible for the Support a Streamer promo?


  • New monthly subs (any tier)
  • Multi-month subs (3-month, 6-month)
  • Gift subs (any tier for any number of months)


Are Twitch Drops rewards and the Storm of Valako Portal exclusive?


The cosmetics that are part of this campaign will not be exclusive to Twitch Drops and will eventually be sold in our Microtransactions Store.

Will these cosmetics work in Path of Exile 1?


Yes, all cosmetics from this promo should work in Path of Exile 1 right away.

Do I need to link my Discord and Path of Exile accounts?


No.

Will the Eye of Prophecy avatar be available for purchase in the Discord store?


No. You can receive it only by participating in this quest.

How long can I use the avatar for?


You can use the avatar for 2 months without Discord Nitro. Subscribers to Discord Nitro will be able to keep the decoration for an extended period. More information on this can be found here



Outrage in Italy over porn site with doctored images of prominent women


cross-posted from: narwhal.city/posts/472364

Phica posted altered photos, with vulgar and sexist captions, of women including prime minister Giorgia Meloni


Archived version: archive.is/20250828180534/theg…


Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.



Nvidia's top two mystery customers made up 39% of the chipmaker's Q2 revenue


reshared this


in reply to Davriellelouna

When I was growing up, you had to go to the mall, and purchase the anarchist cook book if you wanted bomb recipes. Or go to the library. You kids got it easy today...
in reply to AlphaOmega

Ah yes, the anarchist cookbook which famously had botched recipes that were actually far more dangerous than they needed to be.



Doubting Your Favorite Web Search Engine: Switching to Kagi doesn’t mean you’ve left Google behind, it only means you’ve changed the way Google profits from you.


cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/36488950

Kagi has quickly grown into something of a household name within tech circles. From Hacker News and Lobsters to Reddit, the search provider seems to attract near-universal praise. Whenever the topic of search engines comes up, there’s an almost ritual rush to be the first to recommend Kagi, often followed by a chorus of replies echoing the endorsement.




Doubting Your Favorite Web Search Engine: Switching to Kagi doesn’t mean you’ve left Google behind, it only means you’ve changed the way Google profits from you.


Kagi has quickly grown into something of a household name within tech circles. From Hacker News and Lobsters to Reddit, the search provider seems to attract near-universal praise. Whenever the topic of search engines comes up, there’s an almost ritual rush to be the first to recommend Kagi, often followed by a chorus of replies echoing the endorsement.



#Kagi


Vivaldi takes a stand: keep browsing human


cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/36488277


Vivaldi takes a stand: keep browsing human

Just like society, the web moves forward when people think, compare, and discover for themselves. Vivaldi believes the act of browsing is an active one. It is about seeking, questioning, and making up your own mind.

Across the industry, artificial assistants are being embedded directly into browsers, and pitched as a quicker path to answers. Google is bringing Gemini into Chrome to summarize pages and, in future, work across tabs and navigate sites on a user’s behalf. Microsoft is promoting Edge as an AI browser, including new modes that scan what is on screen and anticipate actions.

These moves are reshaping the address bar into an assistant prompt, turning the joy of exploring into inactive spectatorship.

This shift has major consequences for the web as we know it. Independent research shows users are less likely to click through to original sources when an AI summary is present, which means fewer visits for publishers, creators, and communities that keep the web vibrant. A recent study by PewResearch found users clicked traditional results roughly half as often when AI summaries appeared. Publishers warn of dramatic traffic losses when AI overviews sit above links.

The stakes are high. New AI-native browsers and agent platforms are arriving, while regulators debate remedies that could reshape how people reach information online. The next phase of the browser wars is not about tab speed, it is about who intermediates knowledge, who benefits from attention, who controls the pathway to information, and who gets to monetize you.

Today, as other browsers race to build AI that controls how you experience the web, we are making a clear promise:

We’re taking a stand, choosing humans over hype, and we will not turn the joy of exploring into inactive spectatorship. Without exploration, the web becomes far less interesting. Our curiosity loses oxygen and the diversity of the web dies.

Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Vivaldi


The field of machine learning in general remains an exciting one and may lead to features that are actually useful.

But right now, there is enough misinformation going around to risk adding more to the pile. We will not use an LLM to add a chatbot, a summarization solution or a suggestion engine to fill up forms for you, until more rigorous ways to do those things are available.

Vivaldi is the haven for people who still want to explore. We will continue building a browser for curious minds, power users, researchers, and anyone who values autonomy. If AI contributes to that goal without stealing intellectual property, compromising privacy or the open web, we will use it. If it turns people into passive consumers, we will not.

We will stay true to our identity, giving users control and enabling people to use the browser in combination with whatever tools they want to use. Our focus is on building a powerful personal and private browser for you to explore the web on your own terms. We will not turn exploration into passive consumption.

We’re fighting for a better web.

vivaldi.com/blog/keep-explorin…


Technology Channel reshared this.



FTC chair Andrew Ferguson warns Google not to filter or suppress emails sent by Republicans over Gmail


cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/36488526

Letter.
My understanding from recent reporting is that Gmail’s spam filters routinely block
messages from reaching consumers when those messages come from Republican senders but fail
to block similar messages sent by Democrats. Indeed, according to recent reporting, Alphabet
has “been caught this summer flagging Republican fundraising emails as ‘dangerous’ spam—
keeping them from hitting Gmail users’ inboxes—while leaving similar solicitations from
Democrats untouched….” Likewise, commenters on the FTC’s request for information
regarding Technology Platform Censorship have complained that Google is using a partisan approach in administering its spam filters. And finally, as you know, similar concerns have
resulted in ongoing litigation against Google in other settings.




FTC chair Andrew Ferguson warns Google not to filter or suppress emails sent by Republicans over Gmail


Letter.

My understanding from recent reporting is that Gmail’s spam filters routinely block
messages from reaching consumers when those messages come from Republican senders but fail
to block similar messages sent by Democrats. Indeed, according to recent reporting, Alphabet
has “been caught this summer flagging Republican fundraising emails as ‘dangerous’ spam—
keeping them from hitting Gmail users’ inboxes—while leaving similar solicitations from
Democrats untouched….” Likewise, commenters on the FTC’s request for information
regarding Technology Platform Censorship have complained that Google is using a partisan approach in administering its spam filters. And finally, as you know, similar concerns have
resulted in ongoing litigation against Google in other settings.



Technology Channel reshared this.

in reply to DreamlandLividity

Have any suggestions on a decent alternative?

I've heard discouraging stories about protonmail but would like a viable no hassle alternative if you have one.

in reply to hypeerror

I use tuta. You can also add your own domain for infinite addresses (great for managing spam).


Doubting Your Favorite Web Search Engine: Switching to Kagi doesn’t mean you’ve left Google behind, it only means you’ve changed the way Google profits from you.


cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/36488950

Kagi has quickly grown into something of a household name within tech circles. From Hacker News and Lobsters to Reddit, the search provider seems to attract near-universal praise. Whenever the topic of search engines comes up, there’s an almost ritual rush to be the first to recommend Kagi, often followed by a chorus of replies echoing the endorsement.




Doubting Your Favorite Web Search Engine: Switching to Kagi doesn’t mean you’ve left Google behind, it only means you’ve changed the way Google profits from you.


Kagi has quickly grown into something of a household name within tech circles. From Hacker News and Lobsters to Reddit, the search provider seems to attract near-universal praise. Whenever the topic of search engines comes up, there’s an almost ritual rush to be the first to recommend Kagi, often followed by a chorus of replies echoing the endorsement.





Trump’s Pick to Help Run the FBI Has a History of Prosecuting Influential Democrats




Doubting Your Favorite Web Search Engine: Switching to Kagi doesn’t mean you’ve left Google behind, it only means you’ve changed the way Google profits from you.


Kagi has quickly grown into something of a household name within tech circles. From Hacker News and Lobsters to Reddit, the search provider seems to attract near-universal praise. Whenever the topic of search engines comes up, there’s an almost ritual rush to be the first to recommend Kagi, often followed by a chorus of replies echoing the endorsement.
Questa voce è stata modificata (1 settimana fa)

Technology Channel reshared this.

in reply to SpikesOtherDog

xn--gckvb8fzb.com/never-click-…

NEVER click on a link that looks like that

Every time one of my posts on this journal ends up somewhere on Reddit Lemmy, Twitter Mastodon Nostr Bluesky or Hacker News, lots of people seem to be irritated by the site’s URL. Hence, let me do a quick introduction into what’s called Punycode, and why I’m using this domain name.








FTC chair Andrew Ferguson warns Google not to filter or suppress emails sent by Republicans over Gmail


Letter.

My understanding from recent reporting is that Gmail’s spam filters routinely block
messages from reaching consumers when those messages come from Republican senders but fail
to block similar messages sent by Democrats. Indeed, according to recent reporting, Alphabet
has “been caught this summer flagging Republican fundraising emails as ‘dangerous’ spam—
keeping them from hitting Gmail users’ inboxes—while leaving similar solicitations from
Democrats untouched….” Likewise, commenters on the FTC’s request for information
regarding Technology Platform Censorship have complained that Google is using a partisan approach in administering its spam filters. And finally, as you know, similar concerns have
resulted in ongoing litigation against Google in other settings.

Technology Channel reshared this.



Vivaldi takes a stand: keep browsing human




Vivaldi takes a stand: keep browsing human

Just like society, the web moves forward when people think, compare, and discover for themselves. Vivaldi believes the act of browsing is an active one. It is about seeking, questioning, and making up your own mind.

Across the industry, artificial assistants are being embedded directly into browsers, and pitched as a quicker path to answers. Google is bringing Gemini into Chrome to summarize pages and, in future, work across tabs and navigate sites on a user’s behalf. Microsoft is promoting Edge as an AI browser, including new modes that scan what is on screen and anticipate actions.

These moves are reshaping the address bar into an assistant prompt, turning the joy of exploring into inactive spectatorship.

This shift has major consequences for the web as we know it. Independent research shows users are less likely to click through to original sources when an AI summary is present, which means fewer visits for publishers, creators, and communities that keep the web vibrant. A recent study by PewResearch found users clicked traditional results roughly half as often when AI summaries appeared. Publishers warn of dramatic traffic losses when AI overviews sit above links.

The stakes are high. New AI-native browsers and agent platforms are arriving, while regulators debate remedies that could reshape how people reach information online. The next phase of the browser wars is not about tab speed, it is about who intermediates knowledge, who benefits from attention, who controls the pathway to information, and who gets to monetize you.

Today, as other browsers race to build AI that controls how you experience the web, we are making a clear promise:

We’re taking a stand, choosing humans over hype, and we will not turn the joy of exploring into inactive spectatorship. Without exploration, the web becomes far less interesting. Our curiosity loses oxygen and the diversity of the web dies.

Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Vivaldi


The field of machine learning in general remains an exciting one and may lead to features that are actually useful.

But right now, there is enough misinformation going around to risk adding more to the pile. We will not use an LLM to add a chatbot, a summarization solution or a suggestion engine to fill up forms for you, until more rigorous ways to do those things are available.

Vivaldi is the haven for people who still want to explore. We will continue building a browser for curious minds, power users, researchers, and anyone who values autonomy. If AI contributes to that goal without stealing intellectual property, compromising privacy or the open web, we will use it. If it turns people into passive consumers, we will not.

We will stay true to our identity, giving users control and enabling people to use the browser in combination with whatever tools they want to use. Our focus is on building a powerful personal and private browser for you to explore the web on your own terms. We will not turn exploration into passive consumption.

We’re fighting for a better web.

vivaldi.com/blog/keep-explorin…


Technology Channel reshared this.









Dear diary, no one on Lemmy appreciate my headline masterpiece


I was expecting at least to win one Oscars award for that great headline.

😂

But for real, Lemmy need more comments.

If you tried using Lemmy while hiding upvotes and downvotes, you start to feel the real absence of comments.

Will this problem ever get solved or is it a inherent problem with the fediverse in general?

in reply to Pro

I downvoted because the title close enough to a normal slop article about how LLM helps that I missed the reversal of user and LLM. Since my brain read it the slop way, it flew over my head.

I think you ran into the brain rearranging words that are duplicated on different lines or out of order thing. At least with me that was the case.

in reply to snooggums

That is actually a unique perspective, I didn't consider.

It might be what happened with most of the people who read the headline.



Why the U.S. Should Sanction India Over Scam Call Centers




"This is No Time for Just a Barbecue" : Labor & Community Groups Plan “Workers Over Billionaires” Rallies, Canvasses and Other Mobilizations - Public Citizen


Building on actions from Hands Off to May Day to No Kings, Good Trouble, and others, workers across the country are calling for 2,000+ rallies on Labor Day (September 1) this year.

Unions and community groups planned May 1st to expose the billionaire agenda driving Trump’s authoritarian rise and center the conversation on the impact on working people specifically, demanding a unifying platform of:

  • Stop the billionaire takeover and rampant corruption of the Trump administration.
  • Protect and defend Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs for working people.
  • Fully funded schools, healthcare, and housing for all.
  • Stop the attacks on immigrants, Black, indigenous, trans people, and all our communities.
  • Invest in people not wars.

Now, organizers say that the urgency is only growing to stop the billionaire agenda that has taken over the federal government. Instead of making life more affordable, lifting wages for workers, or repairing generations of racial injustice, the Trump administration is dismantling the government, overseeing mass firings, and gutting worker protections and social services in order to transfer wealth to the 1% and to fund Trump’s private army of ICE agents.



"A culture of intimidation, retaliation and oppression": How Microsoft’s Gaza stance fuelled an industry-spanning boycott


Every October, Microsoft host an Employee Giving campaign for charities chosen by staff, with the company matching any funds they raise. During last October’s Giving month, a group of Microsoft workers organised a vigil for Palestinians killed by the Israeli military during the current invasion of Gaza, stumping up donations for organisations such as the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund, while paying tribute to fellow tech workers who’ve lost their lives in the war.

"We were honouring the likes of Shaaban Ahmed al-Dalou, who was a computer science student that got martyred in Gaza," says Abdo Mohamed, one of the organisers and a former Microsoft machine learning engineer. "We were honouring the likes of Aisha Noor Ize-Iji, who was a Washington state resident who had been killed in the West Bank. We were honouring Mai Ubeid, another Palestinian martyr who was a tech worker, and someone who worked with [Google-funded programming bootcamp] Gaza Sky Geeks. People deserved to hear their stories - the Palestinians who had been victims of the genocide deserved a space to be honoured, not to be reduced to numbers." If you’re a white secular westerner like me, you may recoil instinctively from the religiously loaded word "martyr" here – Bassem Saad has written at length about the history of the term as Palestinians use it to describe those killed by Israeli forces.

The vigil was small - "around 50 people, sitting in chairs side by side, in an open space during lunch hour" - and in line with company guidance for such events, Mohamed claims. But at around 9pm that evening he and another organiser, Hossam Nasr, received an email telling them that they had been fired, with Microsoft later claiming that the event "disrupted" work, and should have taken place outside the campus. For Mohamed, the firing reflects Microsoft’s general disinclination to give employees a "safe space" in which to air their grievances about both Israel's treatment of Palestinians, and Microsoft's alleged complicity in supplying technology to the Israel Defense Forces. Rather, Mohamed says, "Microsoft had built this culture of intimidation, retaliation and oppression for anyone who felt the need to speak about what's happening in Gaza”.

If Microsoft hoped to quell such discussion or at least, drive the issue off-campus, their clampdown on criticism backfired. Earlier this month, current and former Microsoft workers with the No Azure For Apartheid movement occupied part of the company’s Redmond, Washington campus with tents and signs, demanding that their employers cease doing business with Israel's military. Just this week, protestors held another sit-in at the company president’s office. NAFA members have even pitched up outside Satya Nadella's lakefront house in canoes. And now, the backlash threatens to engulf Microsoft's entertainment business.



The Dumbest Phone Is Parenting Genius: Landlines encourage connection—without the downsides of smartphones.


When Caron Morse’s 9-year-old daughter asked for a smartphone last year, her reaction, she told me, was unambiguous: “A hard ‘Hell no.’” Morse is a mental-health provider in the Portland, Maine, public-school system, and she was firmly against smartphones, having seen how social media and abundant screen time could shorten students’ attention spans and give them new anxieties. But she wanted her children to have some independence—to be able to call friends, arrange playdates, and reach out to their grandparents on their own. She also needed a break. “I was so sick,” she said, “of being the middle person in any correspondence.”

So when her daughter turned 10, Morse did get her a phone: a landline.

For that gift to provide all the benefits she wanted, Morse had to lay some groundwork. It would be annoying if her daughters—she also has an 8-year-old—were to start calling their friends’ parents’ smartphones all the time, so she told her neighbors about her plan and suggested that they consider getting landlines too. Several bought in immediately, excited for the opportunity to placate their own smartphone-eager kids. And over the next couple of months, Morse kept nudging people. She appealed to their sense of nostalgia by sharing photos of her older daughter sitting on the floor and twirling the landline’s cord around her fingers. She wrote messages: “Guys, this is adorable and working and important.”

The peer pressure paid off. Now about 15 to 20 families in their South Portland neighborhood have installed a landline. They’ve created a retro bubble in which their children can easily call their friends without bugging a parent to borrow their phone—and in which the parents, for now, can live blissfully free of anxieties about the downsides of smartphones.

In the past few years, interest in old-school technology has been rising, driven partly by desperate adults seeking smartphone alternatives for their kids. Fairs peddle “dumb phones” to parents of tweens. On Reddit, one parent shared that they’d gone “full ’90s,” with a desktop computer installed in the living room, a Nintendo 64, and a landline. In March, after a Millennial mom posted on Instagram about getting a home phone for her kids, she received scores of comments from parents saying they’d done the same—or planned to soon.