Viral AI-Generated Summer Guide Printed by Chicago Sun-Times Was Made by Magazine Giant Hearst
The Chicago Sun-Times said "we understand this is unacceptable for us to distribute."Jason Koebler (404 Media)
"I can't believe I missed it because it's so obvious. No excuses," the writer said. "I'm completely embarrassed."
"I canx27;t believe I missed it because itx27;s so obvious. No excuses," the writer said. "Ix27;m completely embarrassed."#News
Chicago Sun-Times Prints AI-Generated Summer Reading List With Books That Don't Exist
"I can't believe I missed it because it's so obvious. No excuses," the writer said. "I'm completely embarrassed."Jason Koebler (404 Media)
According to its newest transparency report, Telegram complied with more than 5,000 requests from authorities in the first three months of 2025.#News
Telegram Gave Authorities Data on More than 20,000 Users
Telegram gave authorities the data on 22,777 of its users in the first three months of 2025, according to a GitHub that reposts Telegram’s transparency reports.That number is a massive jump from the same period in 2024, which saw Telegram turn over data on only 5,826 of its users to authorities. From January 1 to March 31, Telegram sent over the data of 1,664 users in the U.S.Telegram is a popular social network and messaging app that’s also a hub of criminal activity. Some people use the site to stay connected with friends and relatives and some people use it to spread deepfake scams, promote gambling, and sell guns.
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CEO Pavel Durov long promoted the social network as a safe space for free speech and resisted cooperation with national governments. That changed last year when authorities in France arrested him after Telegram refused to turn over data related to a child abuse investigation.Now Durov and Telegram are more cooperative with government requests for user data. As part of that process, Telegram runs a bot that will tell users how many requests the service has received and how many users have been affected. The bot only reports on data where the user is registered, but there are multiple sites and Telegram channels that share the transparency reports for a given country as they refresh. The technologist Tek, who works at Human Rights Watch, organized the data on a GitHub.
According to the GitHub data, Telegram processed at least 13,615 requests and turned over the data of 22,277 users in the first quarter of 2025. The report said that 576 of those were U.S. requests and 1,664 users were affected.
Durov had been stuck in France since his arrest, but his lawyers recently negotiated a temporary release from the country. He flew to Dubai on March 15 and started taking small shots at the French government in social media posts.
A centrist presidential candidate won an election in Romania over the weekend after fears that a hard-right populist may take power. In a post on Telegram the morning after the election, Durov implied that France had asked him to suppress the far-right candidate on Telegram.
“A Western European government (guess which 🥖) approached Telegram, asking us to silence conservative voices in Romania ahead of today’s presidential elections. I flatly refused. Telegram will not restrict the freedoms of Romanian users or block their political channels,” Durov said. “You can’t ‘defend democracy’ by destroying democracy. You can’t ‘fight election interference’ by interfering with elections. You either have freedom of speech and fair elections — or you don’t. And the Romanian people deserve both.”
Durov named the country, and the official who made the ask, in a post on X. “This spring at the Salon des Batailles in the Hôtel de Crillon, Nicolas Lerner, head of French intelligence, asked me to ban conservative voices in Romania ahead of elections. I refused. We didn’t block protesters in Russia, Belarus, or Iran. We won’t start doing it in Europe,” Durov said. The French intelligence service has denied any of this took place.
In the first three months of 2024, Telegram took 4 requests from France and turned over the data of 17 people, according to the data in the GitHubIt fielded none from Romania. In the same time period a year later it fielded 668 requests from France and turned over the data of 1,425 users. Romania got on the board too, with 37 requests of its own that affected 88 users.
French Intelligence Rejects Durov Allegation Of Romanian Election Meddling
Russian-born Pavel Durov said French intelligence asked him to ban Romanian right-wing comments on the Telegram messaging app he founded ahead of the weekend runoff presidential election in the Balkan country, an accusation the Directorate General fo…RFE/RL
The 14 year old's mother left an old laptop in a closet and now alleges it's adult sites' problem that he watched porn.
The 14 year oldx27;s mother left an old laptop in a closet and now alleges itx27;s adult sitesx27; problem that he watched porn.#ageverification #kansas #porn
Kansas Mom Sues Porn Sites Because Her Son Visited Chaturbate 30 Times
The 14 year old's mother left an old laptop in a closet and now alleges it's adult sites' problem that he watched porn.Samantha Cole (404 Media)
This week, we discuss Star Wars' weird little guys, catharticles, and spectacular views.
This week, we discuss Star Warsx27; weird little guys, catharticles, and spectacular views.#BehindTheBlog
Behind the Blog: The Art of the 'Catharticle'
This week, we discuss Star Wars' weird little guys, catharticles, and spectacular views.Samantha Cole (404 Media)
"Thinking about your ex 24/7? There's nothing wrong with you. Chat with their AI version—and finally let it go," an ad for Closure says. I tested a bunch of the chatbot startups' personas.
"Thinking about your ex 24/7? Therex27;s nothing wrong with you. Chat with their AI version—and finally let it go," an ad for Closure says. I tested a bunch of the chatbot startupsx27; personas.#AI #chatbots
This Chatbot Promises to Help You Get Over That Ex Who Ghosted You
"Thinking about your ex 24/7? There's nothing wrong with you. Chat with their AI version—and finally let it go," an ad for Closure says. I tested a bunch of the chatbot startups' personas.Samantha Cole (404 Media)
Star Wars Shows the Future of AI Special Effects and It Sucks
Industrial Light & Magic revealed a short film showcasing how it wants to use generative AI for Star Wars and it’s completely embarrassing.Emanuel Maiberg (404 Media)
A killed man's AI avatar testifies in court; Meta is developing facial recognition for its smart glasses; and how AI is changing baseball.
A killed manx27;s AI avatar testifies in court; Meta is developing facial recognition for its smart glasses; and how AI is changing baseball.#Podcast
Podcast: AI Avatar of Killed Man Testifies in Court
A killed man's AI avatar testifies in court; Meta is developing facial recognition for its smart glasses; and how AI is changing baseball.Joseph Cox (404 Media)
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900 People Are Collectively Driving an 'Internet Roadtrip' on Google Street View
The new site is a cozy and chaotic sucessor to 'Twitch plays Pokémon.Matthew Gault (404 Media)
Meta previously lost its shit at 404 Media when we reported that someone had paired facial recognition tech with the company's smart glasses. Now Meta is building the invasive technology itself.
Meta previously lost its shit at 404 Media when we reported that someone had paired facial recognition tech with the companyx27;s smart glasses. Now Meta is building the invasive technology itself.#News
Well, Well, Well: Meta to Add Facial Recognition To Glasses After All
Meta previously lost its shit at 404 Media when we reported that someone had paired facial recognition tech with the company's smart glasses. Now Meta is building the invasive technology itself.Joseph Cox (404 Media)