Social Media Slopagandist Sparks Violence in Minneapolis
A YouTube video containing unfounded allegations of fraud at daycares operated by the local Somali American community ignited a violent federal occupation in Minneapolis, according to The Verge. The video was created by Nick Shirley, a 23-year-old described as a "roving" figure with a smartphone and a "taste for outrage." The Verge characterized Shirley and others like him as reminiscent of 19th-century yellow journalism, but updated and "turbocharged by social media algorithms." The incident highlights the potential for social media to incite violence and spread misinformation.
The occupation resulted in the deaths of two residents at the hands of immigration agents, according to The Verge. The incident underscores the real-world consequences of online rhetoric and the rapid spread of potentially false information.
In other news, the entertainment industry is currently focused on the bidding war over Warner Bros. Discovery, according to The Verge. Nilay Patel, editor-in-chief of The Verge, discussed the matter on the Decoder podcast, noting its significance within the entertainment landscape.
Anthropic recently released "Claude's Constitution," a 30,000-word document outlining the company's vision for how its AI assistant, Claude, should behave, according to Ars Technica. The document, aimed directly at Claude, treats the AI model as if it might develop emergent emotions or a desire for self-preservation. Ars Technica noted that Anthropic's approach to building a better AI assistant might involve treating Claude "like it has a soul," regardless of whether anyone believes that to be true.
The global space industry has undergone significant transformation in the 21st century, according to Ars Technica. The rise of China's space program and the commercial space sector, led by SpaceX, have had profound impacts on civil and military space enterprises in the United States. China's space program, which launched its first human to orbit in 2003, now boasts spaceflight capabilities second only to the United States.
Some longevity enthusiasts believe that death is "wrong" and that defeating it should be humanity's number one priority, according to MIT Technology Review. Nathan Cheng has been delivering speeches arguing that extending lifespan indefinitely is a moral imperative. He stated, "If you believe that life is good and there's inherent moral value to life, it stands to reason that the ultimate logical conclusion here is that we should try to extend lifespan indefinitely."
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