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The Download: a quantum breakthrough, and the Internet Archive ruling
This is todays edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of whats going on in the world of technology.Google says its made a quantum computing breakthrough that reduces errorsThe news: Google researchers claim to have made a breakthrough in quantum error correction, one that could pave the way for quantum computers that finally live up to the technologys promise.Why it matters: One major challenge facing the field has been that quantum computers can store or manipulate information incorrectly, preventing them from executing algorithms that are long enough to be useful.The new research from Google Quantum AI and its academic collaborators demonstrates that they can add components to reduce these errors. Ultimately, it bolsters the idea that error correction is a viable strategy toward building a useful quantum computer. Read the full story.Sophia ChenWhy a ruling against the Internet Archive threatens the future of Americas librariesChris Lewis is president and CEO of Public Knowledge, a consumer advocacy group that works to shape technology policy in the public interest.In the 1980s and 90s, it didnt matter if you didnt have a computer or your parents lacked infinite money for tutorsyou could get a lifetimes education for free at the public library.A ruling from the US Second Circuit against the Internet Archive and in favor of publisher Hachette has just thrown that promise of equality into doubt by limiting libraries access to digital lending. Read this to learn why.The must-readsIve combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.1 OpenAIs new reasoning AI model is comingThe Strawberry model is reportedly planned for release within a fortnight. (The Information $)+ Its an area of research that Google DeepMind is also invested in. (MIT Technology Review)2 Another human has contracted bird flu in the USAnd worryingly, they dont seem to have been in direct contact with animals. (Vox)+ How worried should we be, really? (The Atlantic $)+ Whats next for bird flu vaccines. (MIT Technology Review)3 A US legal advisor coalition wants warning labels for social mediaThe 42-strong attorney general group is urging Congress to take action. (WP $)+ Australia is planning to introduce a minimum age limit for social media use. (BBC)+ Should social media come with a health warning? (MIT Technology Review)4 How 9/11 changed the internetIt shaped how we talkand to some peoples distaste, jokeabout national tragedies online. (Insider $)5 Huawei has announced a triple-folding smartphoneThe $2,800 Mate XT folds up like a pamphlet. (FT $)+ If you want more memory, its price tag rises to an eye-watering $3,300. (Reuters)6 Caroline Ellison is likely to receive a sentence soonThe key FTX case witness has pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy charges.(NY Mag $)+ Shes seeking no prison time as a result of her cooperation in the trial. (Boston Globe $)7 Satellites are at risk from killer electronsLuckily, a secretive radio wave method could help safeguard them. (Economist $)8 Researchers have created a cloud atlas of MarsWhile some formations are similar to Earths, others are completely different. (New Scientist $)9 Kamala Harris supporters are using Trumps weirdest quotes against himA new platform catalogs all of his strangest missives in real time. (Fast Company $)10 The British are coming! Britishcore is the latest tongue-in-cheek trend to grab Gen Zs attention. (The Guardian)Quote of the dayParents want their kids off their phones and on the footy field and so do I.Anthony Albanese, Australias prime minister, explains the rationale behind his governments plans to restrict social media access for teenagers and children, the Financial Times reports.The big storyA Roomba recorded a woman on the toilet. How did screenshots end up on Facebook?December 2022In the fall of 2020, gig workers in Venezuela posted a series of images to online forums where they talk shop. The photos were mundane, if sometimes intimate, household scenesincluding a particularly revealing shot of a young woman in a lavender T-shirt sitting on the toilet, her shorts pulled down to mid-thigh.The images were not taken by a person, but by development versions of iRobots Roomba robot vacuum, a company now owned by Amazon. They were then sent to Scale AI, a startup that contracts workers around the world to label data used to train artificial intelligence.Earlier this year, MIT Technology Review obtained 15 screenshots of these private photos, which had been posted to closed social media groups. The images speak to the growing practice of sharing potentially sensitive data to train algorithms. They also reveal a whole data supply chainand new points where personal information could leak outthat few consumers are even aware of. Read the full story.Eileen GuoWe can still have nice thingsA place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or tweet em at me.)+ What do astronauts and deep sea divers have in common? Their training is surprisingly similar.+ Eggs, eggs eggswho doesnt love eggs? + Better gut health is something we should all be aiming for. Heres where to start.+ Single women of TikTok, we salute you.
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