If youve been on TikTok over the past few days, youve no doubt witnessed your favorite creators saying their goodbyes and telling you where you can find them next. With an impending ban on the social media app set to take effect in the U.S. on Sunday, it seems like theres little the platforms users can do except wait and hope that the Supreme Court, which heard arguments from both TikToks lawyers and the Justice Department on Friday, strikes it down. However, with TikTok now threatening to shut down altogether (though the ban would simply keep it from being listed on app stores, the company proposed taking the nuclear option) and Americans fleeing to another Chinese app as a replacement-slash-act of protest, various government officialsindependent of the Supreme Courtare looking to change course.From the outside, it all seems like a big game of chicken. First, the U.S. governmentaiming either to protect your data and national security (as it claims) or simply to pump up the American tech industry by disrupting the popular China-backed platformdemanded TikTok parent ByteDance sell the service to an American company. Then, ByteDance, not wanting to lose its cash cow, called the U.S.'s bluff and refused to sell. Now, American TikTokers are showing their reluctance to use homegrown replacements like Instagram Reels, leaving the government with a few choices: It can continue to pursue the ban and hope the public or ByteDance gets on board, or it can try to salvage the situation and delay or nix the ban so as to not further upset voters and drive them into the arms of other Chinese apps.While it's too soon to predict exactly what will happen, working to avoid the Sunday shutdown is exactly what a few key power players are doing.Biden and Trump have reportedly both changed their stancesOne of the most surprising people said to be changing their mind about a TikTok ban is President Biden, who signed it into law and has only a few days remaining in his term. Speaking to NBC News, three people familiar with the discussions indicated the Biden administration is currently working on ways to keep TikTok from going dark on Sunday.Americans shouldnt expect to see TikTok suddenly banned on Sunday, an administration official told the outlet, saying that Bidens team is exploring options to keep that from happening when the law goes into effect on Jan. 19. Its all a bit vaguecertainly a ban is exactly what we were expectingbut a White House official did clarify that the options being considered wouldnt include deferring enforcement of the ban, as the administration doesnt believe we have the authority to do that.However, this insider info has been contested by ABC, which says an administration official is now expecting the Biden administration to leave action on the TikTok ban to the incoming Trump administration.It's perhaps good news for TikTok users, then, that President Trump has already vocally expressed his opposition to the ban, and reports indicate he's ready to act to stop it. The Washington Post reports Trump is considering penning an executive order that would delay the bans enforcement by 60 to 90 days. Such an extreme measure would perhaps be Trumps only play here, as the ban is set to go into effect one day before he takes office. Trump's stance marks a similar change in attitude to President Biden's: During his first term, Trump signed an executive order that attempted to force TikTok to shut down operations in the U.S., something the company avoided by partnering with U.S.-based company Oracle to protect the data of American users.A last ditch bill to save TikTok (for now)Realistically, the most stable way to get the ban struck down, save by the Supreme Court, would be for the members of congress who voted for it to change their minds. The biggest governmental backswing weve seen on the TikTok ban so faror at least the biggest one that doesnt rely on hearsay and anonymous sourceswould be a new bill from Democratic Senator Ed Markey. Introduced this week, Markey's bill would have extended the deadline for the ban by 270 days, giving TikTok more time to find a buyer or provide lawmakers an opportunity to reevaluate the situation. Unfortunately, it was quickly struck down by Republican lawmakers, but the reasoning behind it does show that at least parts of Congress are beginning to waver.In four days, TikTok goes dark, Markey said while introducing the legislation. My bill just says, we need more time.As part of his justification for the bill, Markey argued that TikTok has been central to our economy and the way in which we communicate, arguing that the communities its creators and small businesses have established there cannot be replicated on another app.We need time to have a deeper conversation about how to address the national security risks caused by Bytedances ownership of TikTok. Markey continued. We need time to understand the bans implication on TikToks creators and users. We need time to consider alternative ideas.This bill also marked something of a change in attitude from Markey, who originally spoke out against banning the platform but nonetheless voted for the current ban anywayalthough it should be noted that the ban was included in a bill also providing aid to Ukraine and Israel.For his part, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed to continue "working to keep TikTok alive," even in the face of Republican opposition.Support for the ban remainsWhile politicians across both aisles and two branches of government have now spoken about reversing or delaying the ban, some in government are sticking to their original decision.They had all the time in the world, Republican Senator Rick Scott said. Theyve had an opportunity to sell it to make sure the Chinese government doesnt control it and they decided not to do that.Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who lead the charge on blocking Markey's bill, said "We didn't pull the rug out from under TikTok, and we didn't ban it. Instead, Congress simply demanded that the app could no longer be owned and controlled by our nation's worst enemy, communist China."For now, all eyes are still on the Supreme Court. Yet even if the judicial branch upholds the ban, it seems the game of chicken might still ultimately end with TikTok continuing to operate as usual, and without a third party like Mark Zuckerberg's Meta or Microsoft holding the reins.As we wait to see how things play out, Ill join with the choir saying they would rather learn Mandarin than watch an Instagram Reel.Update 4:44 PM ET: Updated this story to reflect the current status of Senator Markey's bill, as well as a report from ABC alleging that Biden will not act to prevent the TikTok ban.

Google has told the EU it will not comply with a forthcoming fact-checking law, according to a copy of a letter obtained by Axios. The company states that it will not be adding fact checks to search results or YouTube videos and will not use fact-checking data when ranking or removing content.Its important to note that Google has never really participated in fact-checking as part of its content moderation policies. The company did, however, invest in a European fact-checking database ahead of recent EU elections.The upcoming fact-checking requirement was originally implemented by the European Commissions new Code of Practice on Disinformation. It started as a voluntary set of self-regulatory standards to fight disinformation but will soon become mandatory.Google's global affairs president Kent Walker said the fact-checking integration "simply isn't appropriate or effective for our services" in a letter to the European Commission. The company also touted its current approach to content moderation, suggesting it did a bang-up job during last years unprecedented cycle of global elections.Google also points to a new feature added to YouTube last year that enables certain users to add contextual notes to videos, saying that it has significant potential. This program is similar to Xs Community Notes and, likely, whatever fresh hell Meta is cooking up.Walker went on to say that Google will continue to invest in current content moderation technologies, like Synth ID watermarking and AI disclosures on YouTube. We have no idea what the EU will do in response to Google once digital fact-checking practices become law.This is happening just after Meta announced it would be ending its fact-checking program in the US, so who knows if Mark Zuckerberg will comply with EU laws. X scaled back its professional fact checkers a while ago. Big tech certainly seems to have a big problem with, um, facts.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-decides-it-wont-comply-with-eu-fact-checking-law-201514781.html?src=rss

Motorola has released two new budget phones, the refreshed Moto G and Moto G Power, with the aim of offering flagship features at a very affordable price.

Honor's focus on high-end devices and technology is expected to continue under Jian Li, who will succeed Zhao as CEO.

When a truck breaks down, its driver knows what to do. They pull over to the side of the road, put on their hazard warning lights, and lay out safety triangles to warn other drivers about the risk of the parked vehicle. Except that might not be the case much longer if autonomous trucking company Aurora Innovation has its way.The company, which wants to launch its services in full this April, has lodged a court case against the need to put out safety triangles, because its uncrewed vehicles wouldnt be able to do so. Its a small proposed change to road safety law that could have huge ramificationsand is an augur of challenging times ahead for drivers in America and elsewhere.As self-driving vehicles move into the real world, their creators will inevitably apply pressure to change the rules of the road, says Jack Stilgoe, a science and technology professor at University College London. Roads and the rules that govern them have been made to be human-readable. Self-driving vehicles will not drive in the same way. They need the world to be machine readable.The arguments AV companies make in favor of their appeals are simple: This is the future, and we need to prepare now in order to unlock the benefits of the technology theyre developing. But it shows a lack of care about what happens in the interimor even after these self-driving vehicles hit the roadto human drivers, says Missy Cummings, a researcher specializing in self-driving vehicles at George Mason University.I dont think the companies care about [the impact on human drivers], she says. I dont think thats in their calculus. Theyre only looking at their bottom line. Cummings adds that the appeal by Aurora is particularly surprising given theyve struggled to show evidence their system can work at scale to date. My first thought was its interesting theyre so focused on this regulatory issue when theres actually been no evidence that the trucks themselves can actually drive for significant periods of time without having some kind of problem, she says. (The company was reaching 75 mph speeds on a 7.5-mile test track in April 2024, according to industry reports.)One of the arguments self-driving vehicles make for weakening road rules is that humans dont follow lots of them, so their products shouldnt have to, either. Teslas were programmed at one point to roll through stop signs rather than stop at them, points out Stilgoe. Cummings says she regularly tells people shes lucky to live in a state where there arent frequent self-driving vehicles prowling the streets. I do think that its going to be an interesting few years if there is an uptick in accidents, says Cummings.Still, if you believe the hype, self-driving vehicles are coming, and so changes arguably will need to be made to accommodate the foibles of the system. But its important not to let tech companieswho have a self-interest in self-drivingmake the hard yards on this without human checks and balances. And at a time when the balance of power is shifting in the White House, it makes sense that companies may feel now is an apposite time to try and lobby regulators and shift laws. I feel like [Aurora is] taking advantage of the Trump administration, says Cummings. Theyre getting this on the book, so that when he rolls in, he can wipe this old regulation out.But doing it properlyand safelyneeds to be paramount, argue the experts. Of course, there will be some areas where updating the rules of the road will make everyone safer, says Stilgoe. But the rules are political. We recently saw the rules change in the U.K. to benefit cyclists and pedestrians, which has annoyed some drivers. If the rules change just to benefit tech companies, people will ask whos benefiting from the tech.And while a small warning triangle may seem like small beer for road users, it could be the slippery slope to more uncertain road environments. Any upgrade to the rules also creates a burden on othersother road users as well as the policeto understand it and accommodate it. And yes, that includes small safety triangles. People know what a warning triangle means, says Stilgoe. They wont necessarily understand the self-driving companies proposed alternatives.

Architecture studio Snhetta has designed three homes for residents with substance-abuse problems and psychiatric diagnoses in Karmy, Norway.Comprising a trio of "robust" residential units, the Karmy Pilot Homes by Snhetta draw on the results of a research project exploring how different approaches, including shapes, materials and colours, can improve the quality of living for residents.Snhetta has created homes for patients with substance-abuse problems and psychiatric diagnoses"Based on the behaviour and needs of three actual residents, the homes on Karmy have been developed with three different profiles," Snhetta studio co-founder Kjetil Trdal Thorsen said."We hope that we have created homes that users want to take care of so that they have a longer lifespan than such homes generally have today," senior interior architect Elin Vatn added.Wood, concrete and brick are used for the homesWhile largely similar in layout and volume, the prototype homes were each built with different materials. Solid wood was used for one standalone unit, and brick and concrete for the other two, which sit semi-detached on the site.According to the studio, the variations in materiality mean their impacts on the residents can be measuredfor research purposes.Exposed materials line the interior spaces"The three main materials, solid wood, concrete and brick, have scored well on physical tests where their resistance to, for example, impact, fire and tagging have been examined," Trdal Thorsen said."They also have a slightly rough surface, and can withstand wear and tear without appearing particularly worn," he added. "Special solutions have also been developed for housing technology, shielding, ventilation, heating and fire safety."Read: Tiny House is an affordable and "aspirational" housing prototype in IndiaExternally, each of the homes have been punctuated with rectilinear openings and topped with diagonal saddle roofs that create "good and interesting dynamics" in the interiors, the studio said.Inside, largely exposed walls and surfaces are coupled with fixed furniture chosen to safeguard the environment.Other patient-specific strategies include the use of a separate entrance to the living and bedroom spaces, allowing employees to wash and clean the home independently of the resident.Saddle roofs top the structuresInitiated in 2020, the Karmy pilot housing research project aims to adapt the physical housing elements holistically in collaboration with residents, municipal employees, and user and next of kin organisations.Snhetta hopes that the research can offer viable solutions for future developments."The goal is that the research will be scaled up to other municipalities, and in the future can provide good and lasting solutions for more people," Vatn said.Fixed furniture is used throughout the unitsThe project is funded by the Research Council of Norway and the municipalities of Karmy and Stavanger. The Norwegian Research Centre carried out the project in collaboration with the University of Stavanger, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, the Norwegian State Housing Bank, A-larm and Snhetta.Elsewhere, construction work has begun on the studio's Theodor Roosevelt Presidential Library in North Dakota and its Far Rockaway Library in New York wrapped in fritted ombre glass has reached completion.Snhetta's Oslo Opera House was also recently named as the most significant building of 2007 in Dezeen's latest series, which lists the 25 most significant buildings of the 21st century so far.The photography is by Haakon Nordvik.The post Snhetta completes trio of prototype homes for substance-abuse patients appeared first on Dezeen.

Its pretty impressive how much charger designs have changed thanks to the popularity of wireless charging, especially with the introduction of magnetic wireless charging technologies like MagSafe and Qi2. Freed not just from cables but even from horizontally flat surfaces, were seeing quite a few interesting designs, from ultra-minimalist metallic stands to nearly invisible wireless chargers embedded in furniture and marble countertops.With the exception of MagSafe power banks, however, most of these designs are meant to stay in one place only, perhaps even forever, as in the case of furniture. Travel chargers still mostly come in the wired type, mostly because of convenience, but also because very few have made the effort to think outside the box. With the new Global Edition of its 3-in-1 Travel Charging Station, mophie is trying to do just that, offering travelers, adventurers, and mobile workers the same charging convenience they enjoy at home anywhere they go.Designer: mophieThe days of thick and rigid wireless charging pads are thankfully over. To truly be travel-friendly, a charging station needs to be compact or at least foldable to a compact size. It shouldnt be a problem if you only need a single charger for a single device, but as many iPhone owners realize, they also often have an Apple Watch and a pair of AirPods with them as well. There is a growing number of foldable multi-device wireless charging stations in the market today, and mophie is adding a few twists to make its new design a bit more competitive.For one, unlike its existing 3-in-1 foldable traveling charger, the new mophie Global Edition has a trick that keeps the design even more compact and travel-worthy. Instead of a tri-fold design, it combines the AirPods case charger and the iPhone charger on the same side. The iPhone charger lifts up to reveal the surface for charging the AirPods underneath, but that mechanism has another advantage as well. Since the iPhone is at an angle, you have access to Standby mode, which is perfect when setting the charger on a hotels bedside table while you sleep.The mophie 3-in-1 Travel Charging Station Global Edition isnt just travel-friendly because of its ultra-compact, foldable design. The product comes in a pouch that includes not only a 40W wall charger that will meet the needs of Apples trifecta of mobile devices but also different plug adapters so you wont have to scramble looking for the right one in whatever country youre in. Its definitely a thoughtful touch for a product thats meant to help reduce the stress of frequent travels.The post mophies compact foldable 3-in-1 wireless charger is a travelers new best friend first appeared on Yanko Design.

Its classic DK with a modern twist.

Alignments of five or more planets are rarethere will be two more featuring five or more planets this year, but after that the next wont happen until 2040.

This is truly one of the funniest and most unexpected stories of the young year so far.