lately Lately: Romance crypto scams, Instagram resets and Trump's online universe
Welcome back to Lately, The Globe's weekly tech newsletter. If you have feedback or just want to say hello to a real-life human, send me an e-mail.
😱 I reset my Instagram algorithm. My new feed was even worse
🌐 Diving into Trump's online universe
🤑 Romance scams on the rise
💆🏻♀️ Would you 'sever' your work self from the rest of your life?
🎙️ The truth about the singles tax
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about how I was planning to reset my Instagram algorithm and report back on how it went. Well, reader, I can firmly say it did not go very well. The fitness influencers, paparazzi photos and recipes that had filled my Explore page pre-reset were replaced with grotesque meat-processing videos (I'm a long-time vegetarian), misogynist memes and The Substance-style body horror reels, and an alarming amount of AI slop involving President Donald Trump and humanoid eagles in military garb. What was happening on my Explore page is called the 'cold start problem,' which is essentially when an app doesn't know anything about you, it throws everything at you to see what sticks. And because social media platforms prioritize content with engagement, the posts that are most successful aren't necessarily of the highest quality. Even still, we don't fully know how the Instagram algorithm works, so we can't ever fully control what recommended content we see.
'Resetting allows us to restart, but it doesn't address some of the more fundamental problems, such as the opaqueness of algorithms,' said Samuel Hardman Taylor, a researcher who studies social media algorithms. 'The refresh gives us some agency, but we still live in this secretive space of how Instagram's recommendation algorithms work.'
For the past month, I've been reporting on a parallel social-media universe that has cropped up in recent years, attracting everyone from traditional Republicans to extremist far-right castaways. The platforms in this right-wing ecosystem include Truth Social (similar to X), Rumble (a YouTube alternative favoured by right-wing voices) and Kick (a livestreaming platform like Twitch, but without any semblance of community guidelines).
The users on these platforms also mirror Trump's own broad alliance of supporters: controversial pundits and legacy news commentators, Gen Z influencers, red-pilled meme warriors and crypto bros and suburban MAGA moms. The coalition's beliefs may not always overlap, but at the centre of their universe is President Trump. And although these platforms have user bases a fraction of the size of their counterparts, they still can be incredibly influential and can help push fringe ideas into the mainstream. Read my full story here.
Love is in the air – and so are crypto-fuelled romance scams. In typical cases, the fraudster convinces the victim that they're in a relationship and then uses that bond to convince them to invest in cryptocurrency through a fake website that appears to show their profits are growing. Some experts call these schemes 'pig butchering,' a term derived from the practice of 'fattening up' the victims by gaining their trust before 'slaughtering' them by stealing their funds. Last year, Canadian romance scam victims reported more than $58-million in losses to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, the second-highest-grossing scam after investment fraud, at $310-million. Read cybercrime reporter Alexandra Posadzki's full story.
This week, Shopify faced criticism for not quickly taking down Kanye West's online store that sold T-shirts emblazoned with swastikas. He promoted the store during a Super Bowl ad on Sunday, but the Ottawa-based company didn't become aware of it until Monday morning, according to internal Slack messages viewed by The Globe. The store was taken down Tuesday because it did not follow the platform's policies and presented a heightened risk of fraud. The swastika T-shirt is the latest test of the company's commitments to free speech versus corporate responsibility, as standards across the digital media world have shifted quickly in the aftermath of Donald Trump's election last fall.
Meanwhile, an AI-generated video featuring deepfakes of more than a dozen Jewish celebrities – including Scarlett Johansson, Steven Spielberg and Adam Sandler – condemning West and antisemitism went viral on social media. In the video, the deepfakes are wearing T-shirts with a graphic of the Star of David on the back of a hand giving the middle finger. In response, Johansson denounced the video's use of AI. 'We must call out the misuse of A.I., no matter its messaging, or we risk losing a hold on reality,' she said in a statement to People. 'I urge the U.S. government to make the passing of legislation limiting A.I. use a top priority; it is a bipartisan issue that enormously affects the immediate future of humanity at large.'
Matchmakers in India now have competition: AI (The Walrus)
The incredible shrinking dating app (WIRED)
Microsoft study finds AI makes human cognition 'atrophied and unprepared' (404)
'With dating apps, we're finding this illusion that the grass is always greener. I don't think that rising rates of singlehood are because people want to forgo romantic relationships. People are saying, 'I want to prioritize singlehood right now' then later they're finding it difficult to date.' – Yuthika Girme, director of the Singlehood Experiences and Complexities Underlying Relationships Lab at Simon Fraser University on this week's episode of the Lately podcast.
NAD C588 turntable, $1,199
All this talk of tariffs, trade wars and annexation has unleashed a flurry of patriotism, with many Canadians sharing lists of local products to buy instead of U.S. brands. (The Globe compiled a big list of Canadian options, if you want to peruse.) Some products are easy to swap, like cleaning products or condiments, but it's harder when it comes to technology. Canada has a thriving tech sector, but it hardly plays a role in the supply chains of products such as smartphones and laptops. If you're an audiophile though, there are some Canadian options. NAD Electronics makes amplifiers, receivers and turntables, including this stylish turntable with a nine-inch carbon-fibre arm.
Would you 'sever' your work self from the rest of your life? On the show Severance, a high-tech brain procedure allows workers to sever their work selves from the rest of their lives. Each severed person has two separate lives: an 'outie,' who has no memories of their time at work, and an 'innie,' who only experiences their life at their job. It offers a dystopian conundrum on work/life balance: You never have to experience work again, but you're dooming a version of yourself to a literally unending office job. It sounds pretty bleak. Yet for some Canadians, it's not such a bad trade-off.
Healthy living reporter Graham Isador talked with people from all walks of life – 9-5ers, nurses, service industry workers – who would all be interested in the procedure. 'What repeatedly came up was the stress of their job eating into their 'real' life. Many felt like they were already at work all of the time. It's an increasingly common problem,' writes Isador. Would I ever do this procedure myself? Never. But I do recommend watching the show, which is currently on its second season.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Vancouver Sun
an hour ago
- Vancouver Sun
Trump says he offered assistance to India after crash: 'I gave them a couple of pointers'
US President Donald Trump expressed his condolences after the deadly crash of a Boeing Co. 787 Dreamliner operated by Air India that left hundreds dead, saying he had offered 'pointers' on possible causes as well as an offer of assistance to Indian authorities. 'I gave them a couple of pointers. I said, 'Maybe you look at this,' you know, we saw the plane, it looked like it was flying pretty well, it didn't look like there was an explosion, just looked like the engines maybe lost power,' Trump said at an event Thursday at the White House. Trump said he had offered India help in the recovery and went on to call the crash 'terrible' and 'one of the worst in aviation history.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'It's a big country, a strong country, and they'll handle it, I'm sure, but I let them know that anything we can do will be over there immediately,' Trump said. The flight, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad in India en route to London Gatwick, was carrying 242 passengers and crew, most of whom were Indian and UK nationals. More than 200 bodies have been recovered as local investigators scour the crash site. The Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday that it was in contact with the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB will be leading a team of US investigators traveling to India to assist with the probe, according to a post on X. US air safety officials typically assist investigations to determine the cause of crashes involving American-built aircraft, a process that can take weeks and months. The incident marked the first-ever complete loss of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and extends a series of serious and fatal incidents in the civil aviation industry this year. Boeing said it's 'aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information.' Its stock fell some 6% in early US trading on Thursday. The company has been involved in several accidents in recent years, including two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019. Early last year, a nearly-new 737 Max aircraft lost a door panel during flight. While there were no fatalities, the accident plunged the company into a crisis. In the US, air safety has also come under fresh scrutiny. In January, an American Airlines regional jet collided with a military helicopter near Washington, killing the 60 passengers and 4 crew members. The FAA is also working to bolster the airspace around Newark Liberty International Airport after recent radar and radio outages caused major disruptions. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Louisiana is the latest Republican-led state expanding its role in immigration enforcement
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — As protests erupt across the country over aggressive immigration enforcement tactics, Louisiana lawmakers approved a package of legislation this week that'll aid the ongoing federal crackdown on deportation. Amid growing national tensions, Louisiana is the latest red state that expanded its immigration enforcement role — crafting a legislative promise to cooperate with federal agencies. Law enforcement agents and public officials could face jail time if they purposefully obstruct, delay or ignore federal immigration enforcement efforts, under one Louisiana bill. Another measure requires state agencies — including the departments of Health, Education, Corrections, Children & Family Services, and Motor Vehicles — to verify, track and report anyone illegally in the U.S. who is receiving state services. The bills head to Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, a tough-on-crime conservative and staunch ally of President Donald Trump, who is likely to sign them into law. Penalizing officials who obstruct immigration enforcem ent efforts Following Trump's pledge to remove millions of people who are in the country illegally, immigration raids have ramped up from coast to coast. Federal agencies have sought to enlist state and local help, alerting federal authorities of immigrants wanted for deportation and holding them until federal agents take custody. Louisiana's GOP-dominated Legislature passed a bill to ensure just that. The measure expands the crime of malfeasance in office, which is punishable with up to 10 years in jail. Essentially, it would make it a crime for a public official or employee to refuse to comply with requests from agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It also prohibits public officials, including police and judges, from knowingly releasing a person who 'illegally entered or unlawfully remained' in the U.S. from their custody without providing advance notice to ICE. 'This is one of those bills that says it's against the law not to enforce the law,' said Republican state Sen. Jay Morris. Additionally, the bill expands the crime of obstruction of justice to include any act 'intended to hinder, delay, prevent, or otherwise interfere with or thwart federal immigration enforcement efforts,' including civil immigration proceedings. Tia Fields, an advocate for the Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants, said she fears the measures will have a 'chilling effect' and could potentially criminalize 'ordinary acts of assistance or advice' by advocates, religious leaders, attorneys or organizations. Louisiana, which does not share a border with a foreign country, is one of several states attempting to penalize local officials who don't cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Most recently, under a new law in Tennessee, local officials who vote to adopt sanctuary policies could face up to six years in prison. Other states allow residents or the local attorney general to sue officials and state governments if they limit or refuse to comply with federal immigration enforcement efforts. But threats of repercussions have gone beyond the creation of legislation. Most recently, as the National Guard was deployed to protests in Los Angeles, Tom Homan, the Trump administration's ' border czar,' hinted that elected officials could face arrest if they interfere with agents on the ground. State agencies tasked with tracking immigrants Amid growing tensions over immigration enforcement, Louisiana has made national headlines for its role. Nearly 7,000 people are being held in the state's nine immigration detention centers. Among them is Mahmoud Khalil, a student and legal U.S. resident whom the Trump administration jailed over his participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University. With a spotlight on Louisiana, bills and policies targeting migrants suspected of entering the country illegally were pushed to the forefront by Landry and legislators. Ranging from banning sanctuary city policies to sending Louisiana National Guard members to the U.S.-Mexico border. One measure, passed this week, codifies an executive order of Landry. It requires state agencies to verify the citizenship of people attempting to receive or use state services and benefits. The agencies would collect and track such data, submitting an annual report to the governor, attorney general and Legislature, in addition to posting it publicly online. Any agency that does not comply risks having its funding withheld. Republican state Sen. Blake Miguez, who authored the legislation, said it was crafted so officials and residents know how much money and what 'services or benefits have been afforded' to immigrants who are in the country illegally. But another bill goes a step further — requiring state agencies to refer the applicant's information, 'including unsatisfactory immigration status,' to ICE. State Sen. Royce Duplessis, a Democrat who opposed the bill, asked Miguez if the measure could result in families being separated. Miguez said that while that's 'a bit of a stretch,' ultimately it is up to federal authorities and what they do with the information.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Utah Republican proposes sale of more than 2 million acres of US lands
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — More than 2 million acres of federal lands would be sold or transferred to states or other entities under a budget proposal from Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, reviving a longtime ambition of Western conservatives to cede lands to local control after a similar proposal failed in the House. Lee, who chairs the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, included a mandate for the sales in a draft provision of the GOP's sweeping tax cut package released Wednesday. Sharp disagreement over such sales has laid bare a split among Republicans who support wholesale transfers of federal property to spur development and generate revenue, and other lawmakers who are staunchly opposed. A spokesperson for Montana Sen. Steve Daines said Thursday that he opposes public land sales and was reviewing the proposal. Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke, who served as interior secretary in President Donald Trump's first term and led the effort to strip land sales out of the House version, said he remained a 'hard no' on any legislation that includes large-scale sales. Most public lands are in Western states. In some such as Utah and Nevada, the government controls the vast majority of lands, protecting them from potential exploitation but hindering growth. Lee's proposal does not specify what properties would be sold. It directs the secretaries of interior and agriculture to sell or transfer at least 0.5% and up to 0.75% of U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management holdings. That equals at least 2.2 million acres (890,000 hectares) and up to 3.3 million acres (1.3 million hectares) The Republican said in a video released by his office that the sales would not include national parks, national monuments or wilderness. They would instead target 'isolated parcels' that could be used for housing or infrastructure, he said. 'Washington has proven time and again it can't manage this land. This bill puts it in better hands,' Lee said. Conservation groups reacted with outrage, saying it would set a precedent to fast-track the handover of cherished lands to developers. 'Shoving the sale of public lands back into the budget reconciliation bill, all to fund tax cuts for the wealthy, is a betrayal of future generations and folks on both sides of the aisle,' said Michael Carroll with The Wilderness Society. Housing advocates have cautioned that federal land is not universally suitable for affordable housing. Some of the parcels up for sale in Utah and Nevada under the House proposal were far from developed areas. Republican officials in Utah last year filed a lawsuit last seeking to take over huge swathes of federal land in the state, but they were rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. Twelve other states backed Utah's bid.
