"We are not trying to apologize for the strength of robots."Robot RockEveryone knows San Francisco has been captured by tech elites, but we didn't expect robots to start replacing the key job position of disc jockeys,even in the city by the bay, quite this quickly.As theSan Francisco Gate reports, an AI-powered humanoid robot meant to be deployed by the military took on an entirely different kind of battleground last weekend when it commanded the decks at the city's Temple Nightclub.Built by the Foundation Robotics Lab startup, the sleek black Phantom robot spun tech house beats for attendees of the so-called "GigaParty," an extremely cringe-sounding networking event slash club night celebrating the "first 25 years of the 21st century and [glimpsing] the next 75!"With tickets ranging from $35 to $3000, guests seemingly got their money's worth when Phantom made his the robot's creators insist that it uses he/him pronouns DJ debut. It was the robot's first public appearance, though as Foundation cofounder Mike LeBlanc told SFGate, there are others in the Phantom line currently being used by the US military.A 13-year veteran of the Marines, LeBlanc proclaims Foundation is currently the only robotics company crafting "humanoids" for American national defense. While we can't independently verify that claim, it is true, asSFGate notes, that companies like Boston Dynamics have explicitly prohibited the "weaponization" of their general-purpose wares."Were the opposite," LeBlanc countered. "We believe that humanoids are going to be critical to the future of warfare. Hence, designing robots that are bigger, faster, stronger."Fun and DoneDespite counting the Department of Defense as one of its biggest contractors, Foundation's humanoid robots aren't currently in combat. Instead, as the cofounder told the website, they're primarily used for aircraft maintenance and refueling in remote regions.Phantom's appearance at the GigaParty is an obvious departure from "his" usual routine, but as LeBlanc puts it, the robot was essentially on a cultural diplomacy mission."We are not trying to apologize for the strength of robots," the Foundation cofounder said. "So for us, this is the perfect unveiling because this is what our robot is. This is a fun moment."Fun, of course, is subjective but the novelty of seeing a military robot DJ at a clubis pretty striking, even if it was at a stuffy SF networking event.More on robots: Chick-fil-A Using Advanced Squeezing Robots to Conduct Huge Lemon PartyShare This Article

See at Max Carries the Puppy Bowl Max See at Max See more details See at Discovery Plus Carries the Puppy Bowl Discovery Plus See at Discovery Plus See more details See at Philo Carries Discovery, Animal Planet Philo See at Philo See more details See at Sling Carries TBS Sling See at Sling See more details See at ExpressVPN Best VPN for streaming ExpressVPN See at ExpressVPN See more details Table of Contents The Super Bowl is happening later today, and if you also enjoy sporting events with tail-wagging, toy-tugging and miniature limbs, you can watch good boys and girls face off in the 21st Puppy Bowl.Puppy Bowl XXI will showcase 142 rescue puppies from 80 shelters -- the biggest canine cohort yet -- before the Super Bowl airs at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. The aggressively cute competitors will vie for the Lombarky trophy as part of either Team Ruff or Team Fluff. The three-hour spectacle will include play-by-play commentary from sportscasters Steve Levy and Taylor Rooks and a pause for purrs during the Kitty Halftime Show.For the first time, there will be a Puppy Combine pregame show, where 10 dogs will take part in practice drills in hopes of being the top pick in the Puppy Bowl draft. The Bowl will include 11 special needs pups, including a blind and hearing-impaired Australian shepherd mix and a pit bull terrier mix participating in a wheelchair. It'll also highlight adoption journeys and the work of shelters and rescues.Viewers can catch a sneak peek of James Gunn's upcoming Superman movie and a message from the writer-director and his furry companion. If the details of this dog-palooza have won you over, here's how to watch the 2025 Puppy Bowl.Read more: Super Bowl 2025: How to Watch the Kendrick Lamar and SZA Halftime ShowWhere to Stream Puppy Bowl 2025The Puppy Bowl will begin at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT on Sunday, Feb. 9 and will be simulcast across Max, Discovery Plus, Discovery, Animal Planet, TBS and TruTV. The Puppy Combine pregame show will air at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on Animal Planet. James Martin/CNET Max recently changed the names of its plans, but the features remain the same. There are three versions: Basic With Ads, which costs $10 per month or $100 per year; Standard, which costs $17 per month or $170 per year; and Premium, which costs $21 per month or $210 per year. You can opt for a bundle of Max, Hulu and Disney Plus or a Max student discount. Read our review of the streaming service here. See at Max CNET/Discovery Plus Outside of Max, Discovery Plus is a way to stream content from brands like HGTV, Food Network, TLC, ID, Animal Planet and Discovery Channel. After a price increase last month, the service costs $6 per month with ads and $10 per month without. See at Discovery Plus Philo Philo is a live TV streaming service that allows you to watch Discovery and Animal Planet, which will both have the Puppy Bowl. While it doesn't carry as many channels as more expensive rivals like YouTube TV, it does have Lifetime, TLC, Game Show Network, Hallmark Channel, A&E, AMC and more. A free trial is also available. See at Philo Sarah Tew/CNET The live TV streamer Sling TV will grant you access to TBS regardless of whether you have the Orange plan, which costs $46, or the Blue plan, which costs between $46 and $51, depending on where you live. Blue also includes the Puppy Bowl-having channels Discovery and truTV. See at Sling How to watch the Puppy Bowl with a VPNPerhaps you're traveling abroad and want to stream the Puppy Bowl while away from home. With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to access the program from anywhere in the world. There are also other good reasons to use a VPN for streaming.A VPN is the best way to encrypt your traffic to stop your internet service provider from throttling your speeds. Using a VPN is also a great idea if you're traveling and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and log-ins when connecting to Wi-Fi networks. Streaming TV can be a bit smoother with a reliable, quality VPN that'spassed our testsand meets our security standards.You can use a VPN to stream content legally as long as VPNs are allowed in your country and you have a valid subscription to the streaming service you're using. The US and Canada are among the countries where VPNs are legal, but we advise against streaming or downloading content on illegal torrent sites. We recommend ExpressVPN, but you may opt for another provider fromour best list, such as Surfshark or NordVPN. James Martin/CNET 2024 Price $13 per month, $100 for the first 15 months (then $117 per year) or $140 for the first 28 months (then $150 per year)Latest Tests DNS leaks detected, 35% speed loss in 2025 testsNetwork 3,000 plus servers in 105 countriesJurisdiction British Virgin Islands If you're looking for a secure and dependable VPN, check out our Editors' Choice: ExpressVPN. It's fast, works on multiple devices, and provides stable streams. It's normally $13 a month, but it currently costs less overall to go for a 15-month subscription, where each month shakes out to $6.67.ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.Read our review of ExpressVPN. 61% off with 2yr plan (+4 free months) See at ExpressVPN Follow the VPN provider's instructions for installation and choose a country where the Puppy Bowl will be streaming on a service like Max. Before you open the streaming app, make sure you're connected to your VPN using your selected region. If you want to stream the Puppy Bowl on more than one device, it's possible you'll need to configure each one to ensure you're signed in. Go to settings and check your network connections to verify you're logged in and connected to your VPN account.If you run into issues with streaming, first make sure your VPN is up and running on its encrypted IP address. Double-check that you've followed installation instructions correctly and picked the right geographical area for viewing. If you still encounter connection problems, you may need to reboot your device. Close all apps and windows, restart your device and connect to your VPN first. Note that some streaming services will restrict VPN access.

See at ESPN Watch La Liga soccer in the US from $11 a month ESPN Plus See at ESPN See more details See at ExpressVPN Best VPN for streaming ExpressVPN See at ExpressVPN See more details See at Premiersports Watch La Liga in the UK from 8 Premier Sports See at Premiersports See more details See at TSN Carries La Liga matches live TSN Plus See at TSN See more details See at BeIn Sports Watch La Liga games from AU$15 per month BeIn Sports See at BeIn Sports See more details Table of Contents Barcelona could reduce the gap at the top of Spain's La Liga to just two points with a win today at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium as Hansi Flick's men take on midtable Sevilla.With La Liga leaders Real Madrid playing out a 1-1 draw with second-placed Atltico Madrid yesterday, third-placed Bara will be determined to capitalize on both sides dropping points.On Sunday they face draw specialists Sevilla. Currently 13th in La Liga, the Andalusians come into this clash after back-to-back stalemates, the most recent a goalless draw against Getafe. Sevilla take on Barcelona at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 9. Kickoff is set for9 p.m. CET local time, making it a 3 p.m. ET and 12 p.m. PT start in the US, an 8p.m. GMT start in the UK and a 7 a.m. AEDTkickoff in Australia on Monday morning.Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game as it happens, wherever you are in the world. Ferran Torres hit a hat-trick in Barcelona's 0-5 away win at Valencia in the Cope del Rey on Thursday. Irina R. Hipolito/Europa Press/Getty Images How to watch Sevilla vs. Barcelona in the US without cableThis match is available to stream in the US via ESPN Plus, which has live English and Spanish-language broadcast rights for La Liga in the US. ESPN Plus ESPN's standalone streaming service costs $11 a month or $110 for an annual subscription.Read our ESPN Plus review. See at ESPN How to watch La Liga from anywhere with a VPNIf you find yourself unable to view La Liga matches locally, you may need a different way to watch the games -- that's where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it's also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins. With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this. Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you're streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions. James Martin/CNET 2024 Price $13 per month, $100 for the first 15 months (then $117 per year) or $140 for the first 28 months (then $150 per year)Latest Tests DNS leaks detected, 35% speed loss in 2025 testsNetwork 3,000 plus servers in 105 countriesJurisdiction British Virgin Islands ExpressVPN isour current best VPN pickfor people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month, but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you'll get three months free and save 49%. That's the equivalent of $6.67 a month.Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. 61% off with 2yr plan (+4 free months) See at ExpressVPN Livestream Sevilla vs. Barcelona in the UKPremier Sports is showing a minimum of five live matches per week from Spain's top league on its Premier Sports 1 and 2 channels, as well as its dedicated La Liga platform. This game will be shown exclusively live on La Liga TV and Premier Sports 1. Premier Sports A subscription to just Premier Sports' dedicated La Liga channel costs 8 a month.You can also get the channel via a full subscription to Premier Sports, giving you access to all of the networks' channels, which have the UK broadcast rights to Scottish Premiership matches, BKT United Rugby Championship and Investec Champions Cup rugby, plus NHL and NASCAR.A full Premier Sports subscription costs 10 per month for Sky and Virgin TV customers. You can also get Premier Sports through Amazon Prime Video as an add-on for 15 a month. See at Premiersports Livestream Sevilla vs. Barcelona in CanadaTSN is the rights holder for live coverage of La Liga matches in the region, with select fixtures being shown on its linear channels and a wider selection of games being shown on its TSN Plus streaming platform. This match is set to be shown on TSN Plus. TSN TSN Plus is a direct-streaming service that costs CA$8 a month and also offers coverage of PGA Tour Live golf, NFL games, F1, NASCAR and the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments. See at TSN Livestream Sevilla vs. Barcelona in AustraliaFooty fans down under can watch La Liga matches live on BeIn Sports, which holds the live broadcast rights in Australia for Spanish top-flight matches. This match is set to be shown on BeIn Sports 2. BeIn Sports BeIn Sports is available in Australia for AU$15 a month or a yearly commitment of AU$130. See at BeIn Sports Quick tips for streaming La Liga using a VPNWith four variables at play -- your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN -- your experience and success when streaming La Liga matches may vary.If you don't see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the "search for city or country" option.If you're having trouble getting the game after you've turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs -- like Roku -- don't have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you'll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you're using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network's sports app, you'll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.Remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you're using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommendBrave.

Creating a wooden Barn By Texture Haven on February 9, 2025 Videotutorials Learn how to create a detailed wooden barn in this free 2-hour tutorial! From modeling the basic structure to adding wooden planks and designing the interior, this step-by-step guide will help you build a realistic barn from scratch. Perfect for Blender users looking to enhance their modeling and texturing skills. Watch the full tutorial now and start creating your own wooden barn.

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DOGE breach of US Treasury data may harm CIA intelligence assets, officialswarnFebruary 8, 2025by Joseph Fitsanakis4 CommentsUNITED STATES GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS have raised concerns that allowing Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE) access to Treasury Department databases could expose human intelligence assets operating abroad. On January 31, newly installed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gave two DoGE employees, Tom Krause and Marko Elez, read-only access to the Treasury Departments payment system. Elez, 25, subsequently resigned from DoGE, following allegations that he had authored a series of racist tweets. However, last Friday Musk announced on X that he would rehire Elez.According to The Washington Post, a senior Treasury employee filed a memorandum to Secretary Bessent, warning that any form of access to the departments payment system by DoGE employees would pose an unprecedented insider threat risk to government secrets. The memo reportedly focused specifically on payments made by Treasury to human intelligence sources, which are typically recruited and handled abroad by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and other agencies of the United States Intelligence Community. Such payments are made to foreign assets who collect intelligence on behalf of American agencies, or Americans who work in an intelligence capacity without the use of diplomatic cover.According to Newsweek, which followed up on the story, the memo noted that the Treasury Department employs several methods to disguise payments made to human intelligence sources. However, these methods remain vulnerable to detection by people with the requisite know-how, which would allow these assets to be identified and could place their lives in danger. As a result, DoGEs access to the classified database posed an unprecedented insider threat risk, according to the memo. It advised Secretary Bessent to suspend [DoGEs] access immediately and conducting a comprehensive review of all actions [DoGE employees] may have taken on these systems.On Saturday a federal judge in the district of Manhattan issued a preliminary injunction that bars DoGE from accessing any Treasury Department databases that contain personally identifiable information. The injunction also instructs DoGE personnel to surrender back to Treasury all information they have obtained so far. A hearing to decide the next steps in the case is due to occur on February 14. Author: Joseph Fitsanakis | Date: 08 February 2025 | Permalink

Better TogetherCalling all Elden Ring seamless co-op mod lovers, the modder behind it is back with another one, this time for Dark Souls 3No release date in sight for it just yet though.Image credit: FromSoftware News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Feb. 9, 2025 Elden Ring's most popular mod is easily the seamless co-op one from modder Yui, and they're back at it again, this time for Dark Souls 3.There is something to be said of FromSoftware's design choices when it comes to online multiplayer, as they're obviously intended to be a way of making their games a smidge easier because what's better than one silent protagonist dodge rolling their way to victory, than two silent protagonists dodge rolling their way to victory? But, it also means that actually playing the game with your friends can be a bit of a ball ache. Enter Yui, a modder probably best known for their Elden Ring seamless co-op mod, and has also made a similar mod for Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, who has now shared that they're working on a new seamless co-op mod, this one being for Dark Souls 3.Watch on YouTubeYui shared a video of the mod in action, playing with a friend as they progress through Lothric Castle (so, you know, be careful of spoilers if you're someone that hasn't actually played the game yet but swears they'll get around to it eventually). The video's description explains that the mod "removes all multiplayer boundaries and allows for connections to persist after death. Play with friends from the tutorial to the very end of the game, with synchronised progress, and no resummoning or interruptions. Invasions are optional and active by default. You can adjust the multiplayer scaling of the enemies to your liking." Sounds like exactly what you'd want from a mod like this!To see this content please enable targeting cookies. There doesn't seem to be any kind of release window in sight for the mod, so you'll have to stay patient for now. Lucky for you, there's a new Elden Ring out sometime this year, Nightreign, which does actually have seamless co-op built in, though that'll be down to its replayability as a boss-focused roguelite.

Apple could launch a new iPhone SE and PowerBeats Pro headphones as early as February 11, according to reporting from Bloomberg. The announcement is likely to be on the smaller side, given that the company has not yet issued invites for either an in-person or virtual event.A new iPhone SE would mark the fourth generation of Apples more budget-minded handset, as well as the first in the line to be released since 2022. At the time, the third-generation device, which was part of the larger iPhone 13 portfolio, sported a $429 price tag and features that are similar to the iPhone 8, including a Touch ID fingerprint scanner. That product has already been discontinued in the EU owing its Lightning port, which doesnt adhere to Common Charger Directive legislation.As with the rest of Apples product line, a new iPhone SE would almost certainly sport a USB-C port. The handset is rumored to resemble the iPhone 14 line, which arrived months after the last SE. The refresh likely marks the official end of iPhones Touch ID home button, as the feature is supplanted by Face ID biometrics.Notably, the fourth-gen iPhone SE is believed to be Apple Intelligence-compatible, joining all iPhone 16 models and the iPhone 15 Pro. It could also be the first device to sport an Apple-built, in-house modem, as the company continues to lessen its dependency on third-party chip makers like Qualcomm.The new SE is expected to see big adoption outside the U.S., specifically in China and India, which are currently ranked the worlds first and second-biggest smartphone markets, respectively. China has long been a key market for Apple, though the company has struggled in the country in recent quarters. During its last earnings report, it revealed that iPhone sales in China have slipped 11% year-over-year.That drop was due in large part to the continued growth of domestic manufacturers, including Huawei, which has rebounded following trade restrictions imposed during the first Trump administration. Also at play is the fact that Apple Intelligence, the companys answer to generative AI, is not currently available in China.Image Credits:TechCrunchApple is believed to be announcing the PowerBeats Pro 2 in tandem with the iPhone SE. The Beats-branded headphones would arrive nearly six years after the first-generation product. The new Bluetooth earbuds are expected to be the first Apple-branded headphones with built-in heart rate tracking, as the company looks to grow its wearable health initiative beyond the Apple Watch.Later this year, Apple is expected to issue M4 refreshes to the MacBook Air and iPad Air, along with a long-rumored addition to the companys smart home line. The new home hub is said to include a display and may also mark Apples first step into consumer robotics. None of these products are expected for the February 11 launch, however.

Canadian investment firm Brookfield plans to invest 20 billion by 2030 in artificial intelligence projects in France (around $20.7 billion at current exchange rates), according to a report from La Tribune Dimanche confirmed by news agency AFP. The majority of the sum will be used to build AI-focused data centers.This announcement is the latest in a series of investment commitments as heads of state and global tech leaders plan to gather for the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris starting on Monday.According to La Tribune Dimanche, around 15 billion of Brookfields investment will go toward a massive data center in Cambrai in the North of France. This data center will have a capacity of up to one gigawatt. The rest will be used for new infrastructure projects, including the construction of new electricity production capabilities.On Friday, France and the United Arab Emirates announced an AI campus project along with a large investment of up to 50 billion ($52 billion). Once again, most of the investment will go toward a data center with a capacity of up to one gigawatt.There are two reasons why these mega investment projects are occurring right now. First, on January 21, OpenAI, SoftBank, MGX and other partners unveiled the Stargate Project, a $500 billion investment program to build multiple data centers for AI in the United States.While its unclear how much each investor is actually willing to commit to Stargate, this announcement combined with Mario Draghis recent report on European competitiveness acted as a wake-up call for many policy-makers in Europe.Second, the majority of Frances electricity production comes from nuclear power plants (around 65%) and renewable sources (around 25%). It also produces more electricity than it needs. Tech companies are struggling to reduce their carbon footprint and find sufficient electricity capacity, so they are increasingly looking to France as an attractive location for their power-hungry data centers.Other commitments from local companiesSeparately, Bpifrance, Frances public investment bank, announced that it plans to invest as much as 10 billion ($10.3 billion) in the AI ecosystem in France. This isnt a data center project, as Bpifrance mostly wants to back more AI startups and become a limited partner in VC firms specialized in AI investments. Bpifrance is already a shareholder in Mistral, H and Poolside.Finally, Iliad, the telecom company founded by French billionaire Xavier Niel, is allocating 3 billion toward AI investments ($3.1 billion) with the help of financial partners, such as Infravia. Around 2.5 billion ($2.6 billion) will be used to build new AI-focused data centers with hundreds of megawatts of capacity.Scaleway, a cloud computing company based in France, is a subsidiary of Iliad. So the new computing power will likely be available through Scaleway. Some European AI companies have already used Scaleway to train their AI models, such as Mistral, H and Photoroom. (Interestingly, Xavier Niel also happens to be an investor in Mistral and H.)If you add up all these announcements, France could receive 83 billion ($85 billion) in AI-related investments in the coming years, primarily related to data centers and infrastructure projects. And there might be more to come at the AI Action Summit.

From social media fads to cultural trends.gettyIdeas begin on the periphery before entering the mainstream. Every notion we take for granted today started life in complete obscurity. The Persian cavalry invented high heels in the 10th century to help them ride horses. In the 17th century, King Louis XIV popularized red high heels in Europe as a symbol of power and wealth. By the 1800s, women started wearing high heels as a fashion statement. It took 800 years for high heels to become a global trend. Limited information networks, slow transportation and resistance to foreign ideas stunted cultural exchange. Marco Polo spent three years travelling from Venice to Beijing by ship, horse, camel and foot. In 2025, a message can travel around the world in a matter of seconds.New ideas spread faster and more widely than at any point in history. The proliferation of information has changed our understanding of what constitutes a trend. A trend used to represent a changing pattern of values, ideas and behaviors. Trends were emergent, transformative and semi-permanent. Like the revival of classical Greek and Roman culture in Renaissance Italy. The blending of African, Latin and European music by African American communities during The Jazz Age in 1920s America. And the rejection of traditional norms and embrace of rock and roll in the 1960s. Each cultural period had unique and competing markers of identity, often lasting for decades.In contrast, trends are now viewed as fleeting moments, void of cultural meaning. Brands and marketers should apply the Lindy Effect when exploring and analysing culture. The Lindy Effect posits that the longer something has been around, the more likely it is to continue to exist. Around 7.5 million blogs are posted every day. More than 500 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every minute. And 34 million videos are posted on TikTok every day. Most people are not seeing the same content at the same time. We no longer have a shared cultural frame of reference. The rest of this article explores how we got here and why brands need to escape the TikTokification of cultural trends.Fleeting Memes Andy Warhol famously said: "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.Remember when the Stanley cup went viral? The 110-year-old brand became a must-have accessory for young people. The companys revenue jumped from $75 million in 2022 to $750 million in 2024. But now, the brand is experiencing backlash for being the latest symbol of overconsumption. How about Barbie-mania? For a month, everything was Barbie pink, with brands trying to capitalize on the hype around the movie. But very quickly, Barbie-mania gave way to Brat Summer, a trend which was adopted by Kamala Harris campaign. Marketing departments often seed such momentswith paid influencersbut micro-trends usually take on a life of their own when early adopters share and remix the content on social media.MORE FOR YOUMicro-trends are always changing. What was hot last week is irrelevant the following week. The transient nature of micro-trends makes it impossible for brands to keep on top of the latest memes. The short window to capitalize results in much effort with little return. With every micro-trend comes an equally strong backlash against the so-called trend. Brands and marketers need to differentiate between fleeting fads and cultural trends. The difference resembles Sigmund Freuds Iceberg Model, where the tip of the icebergin this case, social media fads represents 10% of the equation despite being the most visible and easily accessible. The remaining 90% of culture is under the surface.The sea of samenessThe proliferation of information and the micro-trend cycle has forced brands to submit to the all-knowing, all-powerful social media algorithm. Sameness has replaced originality. Each brand, irrespective of its history, audience and category, jumps on the same micro-trends in the hope of appearing culturally relevant and attracting a new generation of fans. A quick scroll on social media will reveal hundreds of social media managers commenting under the same trending videos for clout. No doubt, a handful of challenger brands might benefit from the first-mover advantage, but the rest will simply fade into the For You Page (FYP) like a finely blended soup with no distinct flavor or texture. Except for a handful of brands with unique personalities like Duolingo, Ryanair and Scrub Daddymost brands have no right play in the space. The unsolicited brand invasion of social spaces accelerates the death of micro-trends. Killing the vibe for young people and online communities. Like a random stranger trying to interrupt a conversation among friends.The new approach by brands highlights the fragmentation of media and the decentralization of culture. Historically, brands had the power to set the agenda and get people to embrace new trends. Now, most brands are servants of the algorithm, randomly commenting on trending videos in the hope of being part of the conversation. Build your own platform Brands are desperate to jump on the next micro-trend, but most have nothing original to share. The purpose of a brand is to be distinctive and memorable, standing out from the competition. Being distinctive makes it easier for people to think of your brand in a buying situation. Chasing micro-trends and shouting into the social media abyss is a losing game with diminishing returns.Brands can actively contribute to society without leeching off cultural moments and discourse. The first step is having a unique brand platform and something to share with the world. This creates the foundations for community collaboration and long-term cultural programmes that add real value to people. The difference between fleeting fads and cultural trends is almost impossible to detect through desktop research. Brands and agencies need to partner with cultural insiders who are shaping the future in mutually beneficial and non-extractive ways. The most iconic brands dont chase trends; they embrace the future and empower cultural movements.