When Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared on a January 10, 2025, episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, he lamented that corporate culture had become too feminine, suppressing its masculine energy and abandoning supposedly valuable traits such as aggression.The workplace, he concluded, has been neutered.Perhaps not surprisingly, Zuckerberg has also embraced stereotypically masculine pursuits in his personal life. Hes become a mixed martial arts aficionado and has shared his affinity for smoking meats. On his expansive Hawaii compound, hes even taken up bow-and-arrow pig hunting.Hes come a long way from the geeky image of his youth.But is Zuckerberg right? Do workplaces in the U.S. need to embrace a more diesel-fueled, street-fighting, meat-eating mentality?As a social psychologist who studies masculinity and aggression, I think its important to evaluate what the science says about Zuckerbergs claimsand to consider what it means for the future of workplace culture in the U.S.Show no weaknessIn 2018, sociologist Jennifer Berdahl and her colleagues coined the term masculinity contest culture to describe workplaces rife with cutthroat competition, toxic leadership, bullying, and harassment.Integrating decades of prior research on masculinity in the workplace, Berdahl and her collaborators were able to map how masculinity contest cultures operate, as well as show how they affect organizations and individual employees.In her experiments, she had participants agree or disagree with statements such as expressing any emotion other than anger or pride is seen as weak, based on their perceptions of their own organization. Using advanced statistical techinques, Berdahls team was able to distill masculinity contest cultures down to four components: showing no weakness, strength and stamina, putting work first, and dog eat dog.Then they were able to show how these cultures are tied to a host of negative outcomes for workers and companies, such as burnout, turnover, and poor well-being. And at the organization level, they can foment a dysfunctional office environment, toxic leadership, and even bullying and harassment.An imagined grievanceBased on this research, then, it seems like promoting rigid masculinity in the workplace is not the best solution for an arguably already struggling Meta.What, then, led Zuckerberg to claim that the workplace has been neutered and must be infused with masculine energy? Has the American office really gone full Legally Blonde?Zuckerbergs own company isnt exactly a paragon of parity: Its total workforce, as of 2022, was nearly two-thirds male, while its tech workforce was three-quarters male. Furthermore, according to psychologists Sapna Cheryan and Hazel Markus, workplaces in the U.S. still reflect what they call masculine defaultscultures that reward characteristics or behaviors generally associated with men.This can range from how companies describe themselvesfor example, as places that are aggressive and unrestrainedto hosting events catering to traditionally male pursuits, such as golf outings.Although Cheryan and Markuss analysis centers on how masculine defaults make it harder for women to carve out their professional paths, they can harm everybody, including men.My research, for example, has shown that when men feel pressured to fulfill certain masculine expectations, they can develop fragile masculine identities, which are linked with aggression and anxiety.Although the pervasiveness of masculinity norms can give men an upper hand in the workplace, I wonder whether men are contorting themselves to fit into outdated molds of who succeeds at work. Indeed, research shows that successful organizations promote a healthy mix of stereotypically masculine and feminine qualities.In other words, its best when people of all genders feel comfortable showcasing traits such as cooperation and agency, qualities that dont necessarily fall into one gender camp.The rise of the fragile billionaireIf many workplaces still possess dog-eat-dog cultures and celebrate masculinitywith evidently poor outcomesyou might wonder why billionaire corporate leaders would advocate for them.The most generous explanation is ignorance. Zuckerberg could simply be unaware that most offices in the U.S. still possess competitive environments and traits associated with traditional masculinity.Although this could be the case, I think there could be two other explanations for Zuckerbergs promotion of rigid masculinity norms.There could be an economic motive. Perhaps Zuckerberg thinks that promoting his company as an arena of high-stakes competition and aggression is the best way to attract talent and spur innovation in a field already dominated by men. Its often thought that competition drives innovation. So Meta needs to be more masculine could actually be code for Meta needs to breed more internal competition, which will spur innovation and turn a profit. This assumption is also misguided: Recent research has shown that internal competition may actually stifle innovation.There could also be a psychological motive. Ive found in my research that men are most likely to cling to notions of rigid masculinity when they feel pressure to man up and are insecure about themselves.Perhaps Zuckerberg sees diversity efforts as a challenge to his power. Maybe he thinks aligning himself with President Donald Trumps version of masculinity will help him gain and retain power, especially as he faces challenges from other tech giants. So his promotion of an aggressive workplace, along with his slashing of policies that could make him look weak, are moves to reinforce his status as a leader, as an innovator, and as a man.This isnt to say that activities such as hunting and mixed martial arts are inherently bad, or even inherently masculine: There are plenty of female hunters and UFC fighters. Nor is it to say that certain masculine characteristics in the workplace are inherently bad.But when I see middle-aged billionairesZuckerberg isnt the only oneexhibiting the signs of fragile masculinity that Ive observed among young adult men and adolescent boys, I cant help but wonder what the countrys future holds.Adam Stanaland is an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Richmond.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Pickups and SUVs often sit on opposite sides of the automotive spectrum, but the Ford Explorer Pickup concept sees no reason they cant coexist. Dont mistake this for a traditional truck with some SUV flavor tossed in; its a well-balanced hybrid built for people who want the functionality of a rugged workhorse without losing the versatility or comfort of a modern SUV. By merging the off-road capability of a 44 with the iconic refinement of the Explorer SUV, this concept carves out its own niche, appealing to adventurers and everyday drivers alike.The Explorer Pickup takes practicality seriously, from lightweight materials that enhance efficiency to a modular cargo bed that adapts to your needs. But it doesnt stop thereelectric powertrain options, cutting-edge drivetrain technology, and an interior that feels surprisingly sophisticated suggest that this truck is built with the future in mind.Designer: Yisong JiangThe Ford Explorer Pickup stands out with a design that balances rugged utility and modern aesthetics. It captures the sturdy silhouette of a traditional pickup but refines it with the sleek lines and proportions of an SUV. The front fascia feels assertive without being overdone, while the angular bodywork gives it a purposeful edge. Its design feels approachable yet ready for tough terrain, signaling a truck made to handle both daily commutes and off-road challenges.Materials play a crucial role in how this vehicle performs. Advanced composites, carbon fiber, and aluminum alloys make up its structure, reducing weight without compromising strength. This smart use of materials enhances agility, fuel efficiency, and overall durability. Whether tackling trails or navigating urban streets, this lightweight construction ensures a responsive and capable ride. Every material choice feels intentional, aimed at creating a truck thats as tough as it is efficient.The cargo bed on the Ford Explorer Pickup is designed with versatility in mind. Its modular format allows users to adapt the space for a variety of needs, whether its hauling camping gear, tools, or sports equipment. Removable panels make it easy to customize the layout, while adjustable tie-down points keep everything secure during transit. Built-in storage compartments add even more functionality, offering a practical solution for keeping essentials organized and within reach.Adding to its adventurous edge, the Ford Explorer Pickup integrates a drone system to expand its capabilities. This feature feels like a natural extension of the trucks purpose, offering a way to scout terrain ahead, capture stunning aerial footage, or assist in emergency scenarios. Designed to complement the vehicles off-road nature, the quadcopter created in partnership with Nike, operates seamlessly with onboard systems, giving drivers a new layer of exploration and practicality in remote environments.Electric powertrain options feel less like a gimmick here and more like a logical evolution. With instant torque and high-capacity batteries, this vehicle is geared for those who want their off-road adventures without a side of guilt. Fast-charging tech and a long range show that the designers have thought about practicality, not just sustainability.Step inside, and the surprises keep coming. The cabin feels less like a truck and more like a modern living room on wheels. Premium materials, user-friendly tech, and thoughtful design choices make it a place youd actually want to spend time in. Its rugged where it needs to be and refined everywhere else.This concept feels like a response to what drivers want right nowand what theyll need tomorrow. Its not just about building a tougher, more versatile vehicle; its about imagining how people use their vehicles in real life. Whether youre a weekend warrior hitting the trails or someone navigating the urban jungle, this truck feels like it belongs in your driveway.Sometimes, vehicles like this get stuck in the concept phase, but this one feels different. With a mix of practicality and ambition, the Ford Explorer Pickup stands as a reminder that good design isnt just about form or function. Its about understanding people and creating something that truly fits into their lives. And if this project ever makes it to production, it might just set a new benchmark for what a modern adventure vehicle can be.The post The Ford Explorer 44 Concept combines the Practicality of a Pickup with the Thrill of an SUV first appeared on Yanko Design.

The US Department of Justice this week announced that it had indicted two North Korean nationals and three other men, accusing them of participating in a conspiracy designed to trick US companies into funding the North Korean regime.According to the indictment, which was filed in federal court in Miami, the scheme leveraged stolen identity documents and paid henchmen in the US to direct well-paid IT work and company computers to two North Korean men, Jin Sung-Il and Pak Jin-Song. The idea, the Justice Department said, was to funnel money back to the North Korean regime, which has limited opportunities to generate cash through legal means thanks to heavy international sanctions.The conspiracy, according to the indictment, centers on North Korean nationals posing as foreign workers in other nations, or as US nationals, and gaining employment via online platforms that allow companies to advertise for contract IT workers. Using fake or altered identity documents, the North Koreans took on contracts for several US companies, which were not identified by name in the indictment. Those businesses then shipped company laptops to three US-based co-conspirators, Pedro Ernesto Alonso De Los Reyes, Erick Ntekereze Prince, and Emanuel Ashtor, who, the Justice Department said, installed remote access software on them so that they could be operated by Jin and Pak.The US-based members of the group also used their own companies as fronts for the conspiracy, invoicing several of the victim firms and funneling payments to the North Koreans. The indictment stated that at least 64 US companies were victimized, and payments from ten of them generated at least $866,255 in revenue over the duration of the scheme, which ran for more than six years.All five defendants are charged with conspiracy to damage a protected computer, mail and wire fraud, money laundering, and transferring false identification documents. The two North Koreans are additionally charged with violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Each could face up to 20 years in prison.Highlights risk from North KoreaThe indictments announced today should highlight to all American companies the risk posed by the North Korean government, said Assistant Director of the FBIs Cyber Division, Bryan Vorndran, in a statement.While the indictments announced Thursday characterized this conspiracy as largely focused on diverting money to the heavily embargoed North Korean government, similar efforts by that country have been aimed at compromising corporate secrets and sensitive information. The laptop farm where a US-based associate such as Prince and Ashtor hosted the provided company laptops in their own homes to conceal the North Korean involvement has been a known technique for North Korean cyberwarfare since at least 2022, and has been used not just to collect a salary, but to steal data, explore sensitive parts of strategically significant infrastructure, and attempt to extort victimized firms.The operations are growing in both numbers and sophistication, according to security firms who spoke to CSO in November. One recent case saw a bad actor use deepfake video technology and automated voice translation in a video interview, though this didnt work particularly well and the interviewers were easily able to tell that something was wrong.Her eyes werent moving, the lips werent in sync, and the voice was mechanical, Kirkwood told CSO. It was like something from a 1970s Japanese Godzilla movie.Google-owned threat intelligence provider Mandiant told CSO that the number of North Korean IT workers looking to gain valuable freelance positions number in the thousands, and although not all are engaged in purely nefarious activity, the number of intrusion incidents linked to North Korean workers is high.

Audi has revealed a new dual-motor electric off-road vehicle concept based on the Q6 E-tron that looks ready for a snowpocalypse. The automaker built a working prototype that lifts the vehicle by 6.3 inches and widens it by 9.8 inches, giving it a stance that wouldnt be out of place if it appeared in Truck Country, USA.Audis CEO Gernot Dllner calls the Q6 E-Tron Off-road concept a reinterpretation of Quattro, which is the companys marketing term for its all-wheel-drive models. The extra ride height is courtesy of four bespoke portal axles integrated into the wheel hub assemblies at the front and rear that Audi says increase torque at the wheel by 50 percent. Each axle is powered by an electric motor with a combined power output of 380kW and up to 9,883 lb ft of torque at its peak. Thats up 3,245 lb ft of torque from the normal Q6 E-tron, which is Audis first vehicle built on Volkswagens modular Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform (also used in the new A6 E-tron and Porsche Macan EV).1/8 Image: Audi1/8 Image: AudiThe vehicle is designed to climb hills as steep as 45 degrees but the company did nerf the Q6s top speed a bit down to 108 mph. Still, no one should drive that fast anyway in a vehicle lifted this high. This also makes the Off-road concept a much more realistic one compared to more sci-fi Audi concepts like the Activesphere coupe / pickup truck combo with a mixed reality cockpit or the truly apocalyptic all-terrain AI:Trail that has drones for headlights.Audis Q6 E-tron Offroad concept will be featured at the FAT International Ice Race in Austria on February 1st. The company will also show it in action via its social media channels.

Windows 11 is getting colorful new battery icons that are easier to understand at a glanceWindows 11 is getting colorful new battery icons that are easier to understand at a glance / It will be easier to see if your laptops battery is full and charging, or about to die and needs to be plugged in.By Andrew Liszewski, a senior reporter who's been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2011, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid. Jan 24, 2025, 8:46 PM UTCShare this storyThe battery icon in Windows 11 is getting a colorful update. Image: MicrosoftMicrosoft is releasing a newWindows 11 Insider Preview Build today with some welcome improvements to the operating systems battery icon possibly sparing you the realization that youve chosen a dead outlet, or improperly plugged in your power adapter, or let your battery drain too much, before its far too late.Windows battery icon, which has traditionally been black, is being updated with three colors designed to communicate battery status of your PC with just a quick glance, the company writes today on its Windows Blog. A green icon will indicate your computer is charging and in a good state, but will turn yellow when your battery has dropped below 20 percent charge and has entered energy saving mode. A red icon indicates you have a critically low battery and will need to plug in your computer as soon as possible before it dies.The new colored battery icons will appear on the taskbars system tray, in the quick settings flyout, and in the general Windows Settings. Microsoft says theyll also eventually be used on the Lock screen, but that functionality is coming in a future build.Todays preview release includes two additional improvements to the battery icon. Microsoft has simplified overlays, such as the lightning bolt charging icon, so that they wont block the icons progress bar, and added the ability to show the batterys charge percentage next to the icon in the system tray. It can be enabled by going to Settings > Power & battery and turning on the new Battery Percentage setting.Microsoft says this is a highly requested feature by Insiders and customers and it should be a welcome upgrade over the battery icon Windows currently uses that provides minimal information and a vague representation of a batterys remaining charge.The colors should make it immediately obvious that a laptop has started charging when plugged in, and its a lot harder to ignore (or forget about) a near-dead battery when its bright red with a single digit charge percentage right next to it.The battery icon updates should already be available to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who have opted to get the latest updates as soon as theyre available. Itll take longer to reach general release and might even get tweaks before it reaches other early adopters:Microsoft says the experience isnt available to all Insiders just yet as we plan to monitor feedback before pushing it out to everyone.Most PopularMost Popular

Academic paper search represents a critical yet intricate information retrieval challenge within research ecosystems. Researchers require complex search capabilities that can navigate complex, specialized knowledge domains and address nuanced, fine-grained queries. Current academic search platforms like Google Scholar struggle to handle intricate research-specific investigations. For example, specialized query-seeking studies on non-stationary reinforcement learning (RL) using UCB-based value methods demand extensive computational and analytical capabilities. Moreover, Researchers often invest considerable time and effort in conducting comprehensive literature surveys, and manually navigating through extensive academic databases.Existing research methodologies for academic paper search and scientific discovery have explored various applications of LLMs across different research stages. Researchers have utilized LLMs for diverse tasks including idea generation, experiment design, code writing, and research paper creation. However, traditional tools like Google Scholar remain inadequate for handling complex, specialized research queries. Many works have focused on developing LLM agents through prompt engineering techniques and optimization frameworks. Notably, approaches like the AGILE RL framework have emerged to enable more comprehensive and adaptive agent skills. Despite these advancements, a detailed solution for autonomous and precise academic paper searches remains unaddressed, creating a significant research gap.Researchers from ByteDance Research, and Peking University have proposed PaSa, an innovative paper search agent powered by LLMs. PaSa represents a complex approach to academic research, capable of autonomously executing complex search strategies including tool invocation, paper reading, and reference selection. The agent is designed to generate comprehensive and precise results for intricate scholarly queries. To optimize PaSas performance, researchers develop AutoScholarQuery, a synthetic dataset comprising 35k fine-grained academic queries from top-tier AI conference publications. They created RealScholarQuery, a benchmark for evaluating the agents real-world performance. The novel approach utilizes RL techniques to enhance the agents search capabilities, addressing significant limitations in existing academic search methodologies.The PaSa system comprises two LLM agents: the Crawler and the Selector, working collaboratively to execute comprehensive academic paper searches. The Crawler initiates the process by analyzing the users query to generate multiple refined search queries to retrieve relevant papers. These retrieved papers are added to a dedicated paper queue. The Crawler processes each queued paper, identifying and exploring key citations that might expand the research scope, dynamically appending newly discovered relevant papers, to the paper list. Further, a review is conducted by the Selector of each paper, evaluating its alignment with the original query requirements. The training process for the Crawler involves a two-stage approach: initial imitation learning on a subset of training data, followed by RL optimization.The experimental results demonstrate PaSa-7bs superior performance across multiple benchmarks. On the AutoScholarQuery test set, PaSa-7b outperforms existing baselines, achieving a 9.64% improvement in recall compared to PaSa-GPT-4o while maintaining comparable precision. PaSa-7b exhibits remarkable gains against Google-based baselines, with improvements ranging from 33.80% to 42.64% across different recall metrics. Moreover, using multiple Crawler ensembles during inference enhances performance, increasing crawler recall by 3.34% and overall system recall by 1.51%. In the more challenging RealScholarQuery scenario, PaSa-7b demonstrates even more pronounced advantages, delivering 30.36% higher recall and 4.25% improved precision compared to PaSa-GPT-4o.In conclusion, researchers introduced PaSa which represents an advancement in academic paper search technologies, addressing critical challenges in information retrieval for scholarly research. By utilizing LLMs and RL techniques, the PaSa offers a detailed solution to the complex task of identifying and retrieving relevant academic papers. The proposed method demonstrates substantial improvements over existing search methodologies, significantly reducing the time and effort, researchers spend on literature reviews. Moreover, PaSa provides researchers with a powerful tool for navigating the increasingly vast and complex landscape of academic literature. Its ability to autonomously generate, search, and evaluate academic papers marks a significant step forward in scientific information retrieval.Check out the Paper and GitHub. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our70k+ ML SubReddit. Sajjad Ansari+ postsSajjad Ansari is a final year undergraduate from IIT Kharagpur. As a Tech enthusiast, he delves into the practical applications of AI with a focus on understanding the impact of AI technologies and their real-world implications. He aims to articulate complex AI concepts in a clear and accessible manner. Meet 'Height':The only autonomous project management tool (Sponsored)

Time zones: EST (UTC -5), CST (UTC -6), MST (UTC -7), PST (UTC -8), AKST (UTC -9), HST (UTC -10), AST (UTC -4), NST (UTC -3:30)Contra is seeking a skilled Project Manager to join our dynamic team. At Contra, we empower professionals by providing a platform that enables independent work and networking opportunities. We are looking for an organized and motivated individual to oversee projects and ensure timely and successful completion.Expectations:Manage project timelines and ensure deliverables are met on schedule.Coordinate with cross-functional teams to facilitate smooth project execution.Monitor project progress and report any issues or risks to stakeholders.Ensure projects are delivered within scope and budget.Foster a collaborative environment to maximize team performance. Related Jobs See more All Other Remote jobs

Some companies that sell abortion pills online have had accounts suspended on Meta's Instagram social media platform and their posts suppressed on Instagram as well as on Meta's Facebook. According to The New York Times, Meta said companies including Aid Access, Just the Pill, Women Help Women and Hey Jane were part of what Meta referred to as "over-moderation" that included account suspension and the blurring, removal or blocking of posts. Meta told the Times it restored some accounts this week. One abortion pill provider said its accounts have been affected since November, the Times reported. Providers also told the paper that overmoderation that impacted their accounts and posts ramped up during the last two weeks.Meta told the Times that the issue had to do with its policies on content from drug providers. Asked for comment by CNET, Meta spokesperson Erin Logan reiterated this."We prohibit the sale of pharmaceutical drugs on our platforms without proper certification, and our policies in this area have not changed," she said. "These groups are experiencing a variety of issues some due to correct enforcement, as well as over-enforcement. But we've been quite clear in recent weeks that we want to allow more speech and reduce enforcement mistakes and we're committed to doing that."Meta also said the blurring of posts was a technical issue involving content cross-posted from Facebook to Instagram, and that the flagged posts are being restored. Some posts, the company said, didn't violate Facebook policies. The timing of Meta's mishandling of the accounts and posts comes as the company has shifted its strategy and removed fact-checking on Facebook in favor of community notes. It's alsomore closely aligned itselfwith new President Donald Trump. But Meta says the moderation of accounts belonging to abortion pill providers isn't related to speech policy changes on Facebook or to other Meta changes. Trump, meanwhile, has railed against social media companies, and heissued an executive order Tuesday aimed at what he's called government censorship of social platforms. The president and others on the right have accused the Biden administration of suppressing speech on such platforms. In June, however, theUS Supreme Court ruledin favor of the Biden administration in a case alleging it had overreached in its contacts with social media companies. As noted by NPR, Justice Amy Coney Barrett said in her opinion for the court majority that the parties who sued the government hadn't offered any proof to support their claims that the government pressured social media companies into restricting their speech.Aid Access, one of the affected abortion pill providers, and, the Times noted, one of the largest providers of abortion pills in the US, has more than 53,000 followers on Instagram and over 5,000 on Facebook. In an Instagram post, the company said, "We know some of our posts are still blurred or missing, and we're working hard to fix that."

When the Eaton wildfire swept into Los Angeles, Nick Carranza, a 45-year-old content director and producer, rushed to the house of his longtime friend, who was battling 15-foot flames with no firefighters in sight. Together, they managed to extinguish the blaze using water from a neighbor's swimming pool.Carranza, a former resident of Altadena, couldn't sit on the sidelines during the crisis. He and a few of his friends created a "One Love Altadena" GoFundMe campaign to help vulnerable Altadena residents displaced from the fires."Altadena is such a diverse community with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds," Carranza said. "I knew there were going to be people in trouble."After reaching an initial target goal of $10,000, their GoFundMe continues to collect money, with proceeds going to help Black and Latino families with their own fundraising campaigns. Enlarge Image Ever since the Southern California wildfires broke out earlier this month, more than 600,000 donors have contributed to GoFundMe campaigns. As of Jan. 24, over $200 million has been raised on the platform to assist families, businesses and communities impacted by the crisis, according to a company representative.The site's California Wildfires Hub compiles a large number of individual fundraisers, and a general Wildfire Relief Fund sends "emergency relief grants of $1,000 each to individuals who have lost homes, loved ones and property due to the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires."If you're interested in initiating or donating to a GoFundMe campaign to help the thousands of folks impacted by the ongoing Southern California wildfires, it's important to know where to begin, how to verify beneficiaries and what pitfalls you might encounter.How does GoFundMe work?GoFundMe is a crowdfunding platform where people create fundraising pages for themselves or loved ones facing financial hardship, whether due to expensive medical treatment, a costly accident or a natural disaster.The platform is easy to use. With a series of prompts, you can quickly set up a campaign and a fundraising goal for your cause. Once your fundraiser is live, you can add more information or change your fundraising goal. You can request a withdrawal of funds after your campaign starts, with transfers typically taking anywhere from two to five business days.To cover payment processing, a standard fee, currently 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction, is deducted from the donation. Anyone can be a donor and contribute as little as $5 to a fundraising campaign.Why are people using GoFundMe for disaster relief?A major reason people are using GoFundMe for disaster relief is how easily they can spread the word through personal networks. You can share the link to your fundraising campaign via email, text or social media.For example, after I donated to several campaigns of acquaintances who lost their homes in the wildfires, I shared the links on my social media, which helped bring in more donations.GoFundMe also has an advantage over other official sources of aid because it's more immediately available. Individuals who are waiting on grants, loans or other forms of assistance often turn to GoFundMe to get quicker relief or raise awareness of their cause.How do you know if a GoFundMe page is legit or a scam?GoFundMe has measures in place to detect potential scams and prevent misuse of the platform. According to its website, the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee provides donors a full refund if there is an indication of abuse or fraud.A GoFundMe spokesperson told CNET in an email that fundraisers undergo an enhanced verification review process, which includes oversight from trust and safety experts and technical tools to help catch any misuse.That said, scams can and do happen. It's best to donate to campaign organizers and recipients you know personally or through a family member or mutual friend. Look for inconsistencies and flag anything that seems fishy -- for instance, if the story doesn't add up or if the names on the fundraising page don't match the recipients."Always do your research before donating," said Tai Stewart, founder of Saidia Financial Solutions. "There are vetting processes in place, but you should do your own due diligence."You can also do a Google reverse-image search to verify any source or location information. My friend tried this for a particular LA fires fundraiser after noticing something was off. The photo's location was in Ohio, not Altadena.In Carranza's case, he and his fellow campaign organizers make sure donations are dutifully distributed by personally contacting households in need and learning about their circumstances. For example, they confirmed that an elderly couple who ran a foster home and daycare lost both their home and source of income to the wildfires.Do funds from GoFundMe limit federal aid options?Since the wildfires broke out in LA, some experts have warned that crowdfunding donations received from GoFundMe could limit the amount of federal aid you receive.Brandi Richard Thompson, a FEMA public affairs officer, said that the agency can't duplicate assistance that individuals receive from another source, whether it's from an insurance payout or a donation.To be clear, those receiving outside donations aren't automatically disqualified from federal aid. But if someone has a GoFundMe campaign to rebuild their home because their house burned down, it could be construed as receiving funds elsewhere for the same loss."[The case] would have to be reviewed to make sure they aren't duplicating the benefit that they receive from the federal government," Richard Thompson said.However, if someone makes it clear they're raising money only for temporary needs (food, shelter or clothing), that shouldn't affect how much they can receive from the federal government.FEMA's California Wildfires page provides information on programs, funding and resources available to residents impacted by the wildfires. The deadline to apply for FEMA rental assistance for displaced residents is March 10, 2025.If you raise money on GoFundMe, do you have to pay taxes on it?Personal gifts usually aren't tax deductible, so you shouldn't worry too much about paying taxes on the fundraising money you receive. "You can think of it as if a friend gave you $10," Stewart said. "You wouldn't report that as income on your taxes."However, depending on how the payments were processed for your campaign, income from Venmo, Zelle, PayPal or via credit card could likely fall under the 1099-K category, Stewart said.If payments exceed $5,000, a 1099-K tax form will be sent to the person receiving the campaign funds, but that doesn't automatically mean it's taxable income. It's best to consult a tax professional to go over the specifics and understand your tax responsibilities.If you donate to GoFundMe, is it tax deductible?You should do research before making a donation to see if the crowdfunding page contains any tax information.Some GoFundMe campaigns are posted by nonprofits, which is usually disclosed on the campaign page, or you can do a search for tax-exempt nonprofits with the IRS's lookup tool. If you are donating to an organization that is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, you can get a tax write-off for your charitable contributions.Otherwise, if you're offering a donation to an individual or a household, the way you would give money to a friend or family member, it's considered a personal gift, Stewart said.How is GoFundMe helping LA wildfire victims?Carranza is just one of the many individuals using the crowdfunding platform to help those displaced by the fires. By extending a hand to Altadena residents, he and his fellow organizers learned about other folks in need. Many of the displaced, without technical access or English-speaking capacity, didn't have their own GoFundMe campaigns.For example, Carranza encountered a woman living in a borrowed car with three cats. The fires destroyed her home, workplace and car."Sometimes people need the help but aren't always ready to ask for it," Carranza said. "Just show up however you can."Read more:

UnitedHealth has confirmed the ransomware attack on its Change Healthcare unit last February affected around 190 million people in America nearly double previous estimates.The U.S. health insurance giant confirmed the latest number to TechCrunch on Friday after the markets closed.Change Healthcare has determined the estimated total number of individuals impacted by the Change Healthcare cyberattack is approximately 190 million, said Tyler Mason, a spokesperson for UnitedHealth Group in an email to TechCrunch. The vast majority of those people have already been provided individual or substitute notice. The final number will be confirmed and filed with the Office for Civil Rights at a later date.UnitedHealths spokesperson said the company was not aware of any misuse of individuals information as a result of this incident and has not seen electronic medical record databases appear in the data during the analysis.The February 2024 cyberattack is the largest breach of medical data in U.S. history and caused months of outages across the U.S. healthcare system. Change Healthcare, a health tech giant and UnitedHealth subsidiary, is one of the largest handlers of health, medical data, and patient records; its also one of the biggest processors of healthcare claims in the United States.The data breach resulted in the theft of massive quantities of health and insurance-related information, some of which was published online by the hackers who claimed responsibility for the breach. Change Healthcare subsequently paid at least two ransoms to prevent further publication of the stolen files.UnitedHealth previously put the number of affected individuals at around 100 million people when the company filed its preliminary analysis with the Office for Civil Rights, the unit under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that investigates data breaches.In its data breach notice, Change Healthcare said that the cybercriminals stole names and addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, and government identity documents, which included Social Security numbers, drivers license numbers, and passport numbers. The stolen health data also includes diagnoses, medications, test results, imaging, and care and treatment plans, as well as health insurance information. Change said the data also includes financial and banking information found in patient claims.The breach was attributed to the ALPHV ransomware gang, a prolific Russian language cybercrime group. According to testimony by UnitedHealth Groups CEO Andrew Witty to lawmakers last year, the hackers broke into Changes systems using a stolen account credential, which was not protected with multi-factor authentication.How the ransomware attack at Change Healthcare went down: A timeline