Knitting machines power up with computer-generated patterns for 3D shapes

At last, a use for that industrial knitting machine you bought at a yard sale! Carnegie Mellon researchers have created a method that generates knitting patterns for arbitrary 3D shapes, opening the possibility of “on-demand knitting.” Think 3D printing, but softer.

The idea is actually quite compelling for those of us who are picky about their knitwear. How often have we picked up a knit cap, glove, or scarf only to find it too long, too short, too tight, too loose, etc?

If you fed your sartorial requirements (a 3D mesh) into this system from James McCann and students at CMU’s Textiles Lab, it could quickly spit out a pattern that a knitting machine could follow easily yet is perfectly suited for your purposes.

This has to be done carefully — the machines aren’t the same as human knitters, obviously, and a poorly configured pattern might lead to yarn breaking or jamming the machine. But it’s a lot better than having to build that pattern purl by purl.

With a little more work, “Knitting machines could become as easy to use as 3D printers,” McCann said in a CMU news release.

Of course, it’s unlikely you’ll have one of your own. But maker spaces and designer ateliers (I believe that’s the term) will be more likely to if it’s this easy to create new and perfectly sized garments with them.

McCann and his team will be presenting their research at SIGGRAPH this summer.

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Who gains from Facebook’s missteps?

When Facebook loses, who wins?

That’s a question for startups that may be worth contemplating following Facebook’s recent stock price haircut. The company’s valuation has fallen by around $60 billion since the Cambridge Analytica scandal surfaced earlier this month and the #DeleteFacebook campaign gained momentum.

That’s a steep drop, equal to about 12 percent of the company’s market valuation, and it’s a decline Facebook appears to be suffering alone. As its shares fell over the past couple of weeks, stocks of other large-cap tech and online media companies have been much flatter.

So where did the money go? It’s probably a matter of perspective. For a Facebook shareholder, that valuation is simply gone. And until executives’ apologies resonate and users’ desire to click and scroll overcomes their privacy fears, that’s how it is.

An alternate view is that the valuation didn’t exactly disappear. Investors may still believe the broad social media space is just as valuable as it was a couple of weeks ago. It’s just that less of that pie should be the exclusive domain of Facebook.

If one takes that second notion, then the possibilities for who could benefit from Facebook’s travails start to get interesting. Of course, there are public market companies, like Snap or Twitter, that might pick up traffic if the #DeleteFacebook movement gains momentum without spreading to other big brands. But it’s in the private markets where we see the highest number of potential beneficiaries of Facebook’s problems.

In an effort to come up with some names, we searched through Crunchbase for companies in social media and related areas. The resulting list includes companies that have raised good-sized rounds in the past couple of years and could conceivably see gains if people cut back on using Facebook or owning its stock.

Of course, people use Facebook for different things (posting photos, getting news, chatting with friends and so on), so we lay out a few categories of potential beneficiaries of a Facebook backlash.

Messaging

Facebook has a significant messaging presence, but it hasn’t been declared the winner. Alternatives like Snap, LINE, WeChat and plain old text messages are also massively popular.

That said, what’s bad for Messenger and Facebook-owned WhatsApp is probably good for competitors. And if more people want to do less of their messaging on Facebook, it helps that there are a number of private companies ready to take its place.

Crunchbase identified six well-funded messaging apps that could fit the bill (see list). Collectively, they’ve raised well over $2 billion — if one includes the $850 million initial coin offering by Telegram.

Increasingly, these private messaging startups are focused on privacy and security, including Wickr, the encrypted messaging tool that has raised more than $70 million, and Silent Circle, another encrypted communications provider that has raised $130 million.

Popular places to browse on a screen

People who cut back on Facebook may still want to spend hours a day staring at posts on a screen. So it’s likely they’ll start staring at something else that’s content-rich, easy-to-navigate and somewhat addictive.

Luckily, there are plenty of venture-backed companies that fit that description. Many of these are quite mature at this point, including Pinterest for image collections, Reddit for post and comment threads and Quora for Q&A (see list).

Granted, these will not replace the posts keeping you up to date on the life events of family and friends. But they could be a substitute for news feeds, meme shares and other non-personal posts.

Niche content

A decline in Facebook usage could translate into a rise in traffic for a host of niche content and discussion platforms focused on sports, celebrities, social issues and other subjects.

Crunchbase News identified at least a half-dozen that have raised funding in recent quarters, which is just a sampling of the total universe. Selected startups run the gamut from The Players’ Tribune, which features first-hand accounts for top athletes, to Medium, which seeks out articles that resonate with a wide audience.

Niche sites also provide a more customized forum for celebrities, pundits and subject-matter experts to engage directly with fans and followers.

Community and engagement

People with common interests don’t have to share them on Facebook. There are other places that can offer more tailored content and social engagement.

In recent years, we’ve seen an increase in community and activity-focused social apps gain traction. Perhaps the most prominent is Nextdoor, which connects neighbors for everything from garage sales to crime reports. We’re also seeing some upstarts focused on creating social networks for interest groups. These include Mighty Networks and Amino Apps.

Though some might call it a stretch, we also added to the list WeWork, recent acquirer of Meetup, and The Guild, two companies building social networks in the physical world. These companies are encouraging people to come out and socially network with other people (even if just means sitting in a room with other people staring at a screen).

Watch where the money goes

Facebook’s latest imbroglio is still too recent to expect a visible impact in the startup funding arena. But it will be interesting to watch in the coming months whether potential rivals in the above categories raise a lot more cash and attract more users.

If there’s demand, there’s certainly no shortage of supply on the investor front. The IPO window is wide open, and venture investors are sitting on record piles of dry powder. It hasn’t escaped notice, either, that social media offerings, like Facebook, LinkedIn and Snap, have generated the biggest exit total of any VC-funded sector.

Moreover, those who’ve argued that it’s too late for newcomers have a history of being proven wrong. After all, that’s what people were saying about would-be competitors to MySpace in 2005, not long before Facebook made it big.

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Google needs your help finding Waldo

At some point in the not-so-distant past, April Fools was about pranks and hoaxes, but given that we apparently have enough of those on the web, the day has somehow morphed into a celebration of random jokey things. This year’s Google Maps gag is no exception.

Starting today, when you open Google Maps on your phone or desktop, you’ll see Waldo in his trademark red and white sweater, waving at you you from the side of your screen. That’s because Waldo is sharing his location with you for the next few days and he really wants to be found (or not… I’m never quite sure about what Waldo’s real motivations are…). You can also ask the Google Assistant “Hey Google. Where’s Waldo?”

Then, when you click on Waldo in the map, you get to see a standard “Where is Waldo” image and your job is to find him, as well as Woof, Wenda, Wizard Whitebeard and Odlaw.

Now if Google had wanted to make this a real April Fools joke, it would’ve announced this and then never released it or just shown you a standard “Where is Waldo” image without Waldo. That way, it would’ve driven everybody mad. But I’m pretty sure it’s for real, so head over to Google Maps and give it a try.

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How to Disable UEFI to Dual Boot Any Operating System

Have you ever tried to install a second operating system alongside Windows? Depending on what you tried to install, you might have encountered the UEFI Secure Boot feature. If Secure Boot doesn’t recognize the code you’re trying to install, it will stop you. Secure Boot is handy for preventing malicious code running on your system. But it also stops you booting some legitimate operating systems, like Kali Linux, Android x86, or TAILS.

But there is a way around it. This short guide will show you how to disable UEFI Secure Boot to let you dual boot any operating system you like.

UEFI Secure Boot

Let’s take a second to consider precisely how Secure Boot keeps your system safe.

Secure Boot is a feature of the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). UEFI itself is the replacement for the BIOS interface found on many devices. UEFI is a more advanced firmware interface with many more customization and technical options.

Secure Boot is something of a security gate. It analyzes code before you execute it on your system. If the code has a valid digital signature, Secure Boot lets it through the gate. If the code has an unrecognized digital signature, Secure Boot blocks it from running, and the system will require a restart.

At times, code that you know is safe, and comes from a reliable source, might not have a digital signature in the Secure Boot database.

For example, you can download numerous Linux distributions directly from their developer site, even verifying the distribution checksum to check for tampering. But even with that confirmation, Secure Boot will still reject some operating systems and other types of code (such as drivers and hardware).

How to Disable Secure Boot

Now, we don’t advise disabling Secure Boot lightly. It really does keep you safe (check out the Secure Boot vs. Petya Ransomware video below, for example), especially from some of the nastier malware variants like rootkits and bootkits (others would contend it was the security measure to stop Windows pirating). That said, sometimes it gets in the way.

Please note that turning Secure Boot back on may require a BIOS reset. This does not cause your system to lose any data. It does, however, remove any custom BIOS settings. Moreover, there are some examples where users are permanently no longer able to turn Secure Boot, so please bare that in mind.

Okay, here’s what you do:

1. Turn your computer off. Then, turn it back on and press the BIOS enter key during the boot process. This varies between hardware types, but is generally F1, F2, F12, Esc, or Del; Windows users can hold Shift while selecting Restart to enter the Advanced Boot Menu. Then select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options: UEFI Firmware Settings.
2. Find the Secure Boot. If possible, set it to Disabled. The Secure Boot option is usually found in the Security tab, Boot tab, or Authentication tab.
3. Save and Exit. Your system will reboot.

You have successfully disabled Secure Boot. Feel free you grab your nearest previously unbootable USB drive and finally explore the operating system. Kali Linux and TAILS are a great places to start.

How to Re-Enable Secure Boot

Of course, you might want to turn Secure Boot back on. After all, it does help protect against nefarious malware and other unauthorized code. If you directly install an unsigned operating system, you’ll need to remove all traces before attempting to turn Secure Boot back on. Otherwise, the process will fail.

1. Uninstall any unsigned operating systems or hardware installed when Secure Boot was disabled.
2. Turn your computer off. Then, turn it back on and press the BIOS enter key during the boot process. This varies between hardware types, but is generally F1, F2, F12, Esc, or Del; Windows users can hold Shift while selecting Restart to enter the Advanced Boot Menu.
3. Find the Secure Boot If possible, set it to Enabled. The Secure Boot option is usually found in the Security tab, Boot tab, or Authentication tab.
4. If Secure Boot doesn’t enable, try to Reset your BIOS to factory settings. Once you restore factory settings, attempt to enable Secure Boot again.
5. Save and Exit. Your system will reboot.
6. In the event the system fails to boot, disable Secure Boot again.

Troubleshooting Secure Boot Enable Failure

There are a few small fixes we can try to get your system booting with Secure Boot enabled.

• Make sure to turn UEFI settings on in the BIOS menu; this also means making sure Legacy Boot Mode and equivalents are off.
• Check your drive partition type. UEFI requires GPT partition style, rather than the MBR used by Legacy BIOS setups. To do this, type Computer Management in your Windows Start menu search bar and select the best match. Select Disk Management from the menu. Now, find your primary drive, right-click, and select Properties. Now, select the Volume Your partition style is listed here.
  • If you need to switch from MBR to GPT there is only one option to change the partition style: back up your data and wipe the drive.
• Some firmware managers have the option to Restore Factory Keys, usually found in the same tab as the other Secure Boot options. If you have this option, restore the Secure Boot factory keys. Then Save and Exit, and reboot.

Trusted Boot

Trusted Boot picks up where Secure Boot stops, but really only applies to the Windows 10 digital signature. Once UEFI Secure Boot passes the baton, Trusted Boot verifies every other aspect of Windows, including drivers, startup files, and more.

Much like Secure Boot, if Trusted Boot finds a corrupted or malicious component, it refuses to load. However, unlike Secure Boot, Trusted Boot can at times automatically repair the issue at hand, depending on the severity. The below image explains a little more about where Secure Boot and Trusted Boot fit together in the Windows boot process.

To Secure Boot or Not?

Disabling Secure Boot is somewhat risky. Depending on who you ask, you’re potentially putting your system security at risk.

Secure Boot is arguably more useful than ever at the current time. Bootloader attacking ransomware is very real. Rootkits and other particularly nasty malware variants are also out in the wild. Secure Boot provides UEFI systems with an extra level of system validation to give you peace of mind.

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4 Digital Hacks for Your Bullet Journal That Always Work

Chinese police foil drone-flying phone smugglers at Hong Kong border

Dozens of high-tech phone smugglers have been apprehended by Chinese police, who twigged to the scheme to send refurbished iPhones into the country from Hong Kong via drone — but not the way you might think.

China’s Legal Daily reported the news (and Reuters noted shortly after) following a police press conference; it’s apparently the first cross-border drone-based smuggling case, so likely of considerable interest.

Although the methods used by the smugglers aren’t described, a picture emerges from the details. Critically, in addition to the drones themselves, which look like DJI models with dark coverings, police collected some long wires — more than 600 feet long.

Small packages of 10 or so phones were sent one at a time, and it only took “seconds” to get them over the border. That pretty much rules out flying the drone up and over the border repeatedly — leaving aside that landing a drone in pitch darkness on the other side of a border fence (or across a body of water) would be difficult to do once or twice, let alone dozens of times, the method is also inefficient and and risky.

But really, the phones only need to clear the border obstacle. So here’s what you do:

Send the drone over once with all cable attached. Confederates on the other side attach the cable to a fixed point, say 10 or 15 feet off the ground. Drone flies back unraveling the cable, and lands some distance onto the Hong Kong side. Smugglers attach a package of 10 phones to the cable with a carabiner, and the drone flies straight up. When the cable reaches a certain tension, the package slides down the cable, clearing the fence. The drone descends, and you repeat.

I’ve created a highly professional diagram to illustrate this technique (feel free to reuse):

It’s not 100 percent to scale. The far side might have to be high enough that the cable doesn’t rest on the fence, if there is one, or not to drag in the water if that’s the case. Not sure about that part.

Anyway, it’s quite smart. You get horizontal transport basically for free, and the drone only has to do what it does best: go straight up. Two wires were found, and the police said up to 15,000 phones might be sent across in a night. Assuming 10 phones per trip, and say 20 seconds per flight, that works out to 1,800 phones per hour per drone, which sounds about right. Probably this kind of thing is underway at more than a few places around the world.

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The real threat to Facebook is the kool-aid turning sour

These kinds of leaks didn’t happen when I started reporting on Facebook eight years ago. It was a tight-knit cult convinced of its mission to connect everyone, but with the discipline of a military unit where everyone knew loose lips sink ships. Motivational posters with bold corporate slogans dotted its offices, rallying the troops. Employees were happy to be evangelists.

But then came the fake news, News Feed addiction, violence on Facebook Live, cyberbullying, abusive ad targeting, election interference, and most recently the Cambridge Analytica app data privacy scandals. All the while, Facebook either willfully believed the worst case scenarios could never come true, was naive to their existence, or calculated the benefits and growth outweighed the risks. And when finally confronted, Facebook often dragged its feet before admitting the extent of the problems.

Inside the social network’s offices, the bonds began to fray. Slogans took on sinister second meanings. The kool-aid tasted different.

Some hoped they could right the ship but couldn’t. Some craved the influence and intellectual thrill of running one of humanity’s most popular inventions, but now question if that influence and their work is positive. Others surely just wanted to collect salaries, stock, and resume highlights but lost the stomach for it.

Now the convergence of scandals has come to a head in the form of constant leaks.

The Trouble Tipping Point

The more benign leaks merely cost Facebook a bit of competitive advantage. We’ve learned it’s building a smart speaker, a standalone VR headset, and a Houseparty split-screen video chat clone.

Yet policy-focused leaks have exacerbated the backlash against Facebook, putting more pressure on the conscience of employees. As blame fell to Facebook for Trump’s election, word of Facebook prototyping a censorship tool for operating in China escaped, triggering questions about its respect for human rights and free speech. Facebook’s content rulebook got out alongside disturbing tales of the filth the company’s contracted moderators have to sift through. Its ad targeting was revealed to be able to pinpoint emotionally vulnerable teens.

In recent weeks, the leaks have accelerated to a maddening pace in the wake of Facebook’s soggy apologies regarding the Cambridge Analytica debacle. Its weak policy enforcement left the door open to exploitation of data users gave third-party apps, deepening the perception that Facebook doesn’t care about privacy.

And it all culminated with BuzzFeed publishing a leaked “growth at all costs” internal post from Facebook VP Andrew “Boz” Bosworth that substantiated people’s worst fears about the company’s disregard for user safety in pursuit of world domination. Even the ensuing internal discussion about the damage caused by leaks and how to prevent them…leaked.

But the leaks are not the disease, just the symptom. Sunken morale is the cause, and it’s dragging down the company. Former Facebook employee and Wired writer Antonio Garcia Martinez sums it up, saying this kind of vindictive, intentionally destructive leak fills Facebook’s leadership with “horror”:

The fact that some Facebooker would place their personal grudge and views above the interests of the company fills anyone on the home team with horror (in the same way that the current administration colluding with foreigners to secure a domestic victory does Americans).

— Antonio García Martínez (@antoniogm) March 30, 2018

And that sentiment was confirmed by Facebook’s VP of News Feed Adam Mosseri, who tweeted that leaks “create strong incentives to be less transparent internally and they certainly slow us down”, and will make it tougher to deal with the big problems.

I’m really worried about this. I worry it’ll make it much more difficult to step up to the challenges we face.

— Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) March 30, 2018

Those thoughts weigh heavy on Facebook’s team. A source close to several Facebook executives tells us they feel “embarrassed to work there” and are increasingly open to other job opportunities. One current employee told us to assume anything certain execs tell the media is “100% false”.

If Facebook can’t internally discuss the problems it faces without being exposed, how can it solve them?

Implosion

The consequences of Facebook’s failures are typically pegged as external hazards.

You might assume the government will finally step in and regulate Facebook. But the Honest Ads Act and other rules about ads transparency and data privacy could end up protecting Facebook by being simply a paperwork speed bump for it while making it tough for competitors to build a rival database of personal info. In our corporation-loving society, it seems unlikely that the administration would go so far as to split up Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — one of the few feasible ways to limit the company’s power.

Users have watched Facebook go make misstep after misstep over the years, but can’t help but stay glued to its feed. Even those who don’t scroll rely on it as fundamental utility for messaging and login on other sites. Privacy and transparency are too abstract for most people to care about. Hence, first-time Facebook downloads held steady and its App Store rank actually rose in the week after the Cambridge Analytica fiasco broke. In regards to the #DeleteFacebook movement, Mark Zuckerberg himself said “I don’t think we’ve seen a meaningful number of people act on that.” And as long as they’re browsing, advertisers will keep paying Facebook to reach them.

That’s why the greatest threat of the scandal convergence comes from inside. The leaks are the canary in the noxious blue coal mine.

Can Facebook Survive Slowing Down?

If employees wake up each day unsure whether Facebook’s mission is actually harming the world, they won’t stay. Facebook doesn’t have the same internal work culture problems as some giants like Uber. But there are plenty of other tech companies with less questionable impacts. Some are still private and offer the chance to win big on an IPO or acquisition. At the very least, those in the Bay could find somewhere to work without a spending hours a day on the traffic-snarled 101 freeway.

If they do stay, they won’t work as hard. It’s tough to build if you think you’re building a weapon. Especially if you thought you were going to be making helpful tools. The melancholy and malaise set in. People go into rest-and-vest mode, living out their days at Facebook as a sentence not an opportunity. The next killer product Facebook needs a year or two from now might never coalesce.

And if they do work hard, a culture of anxiety and paralysis will work against them. No one wants to code with their hands tied, and some would prefer a less scrutinized environment. Every decision will require endless philosophizing and risk-reduction. Product changes will be reduced to the lowest common denominator, designed not to offend or appear too tyrannical.

Source: Volkan Furuncu/Anadolu Agency + David Ramos/Getty Images

In fact, that’s partly how Facebook got into this whole mess. A leak by an anonymous former contractor led Gizmodo to report Facebook was suppressing conservative news in its Trending section. Terrified of appearing liberally biased, Facebook reportedly hesitated to take decisive action against fake news. That hands-off approach led to the post-election criticism that degraded morale and pushed the growing snowball of leaks down the mountain.

It’s still rolling.

How to stop morale’s downward momentum will be one of Facebook’s greatest tests of leadership. This isn’t a bug to be squashed. It can’t just roll back a feature update. And an apology won’t suffice. It will have to expel or reeducate the leakers and disloyal without instilling a witchunt’s sense of dread. Compensation may have to jump upwards to keep talent aboard like Twitter did when it was floundering. Its top brass will need to show candor and accountability without fueling more indiscretion. And it may need to make a shocking, landmark act of humility to convince employees its capable of change.

This isn’t about whether Facebook will disappear tomorrow, but whether it will remain unconquerable for the forseeable future.

Growth has been the driving mantra for Facebook since its inception. No matter how employees are evaluated, it’s still the underlying ethos. Facebook has poised itself as a mission-driven company. The implication was always that connecting people is good so connecting more people is better. The only question was how to grow faster.

Now Zuckerberg will have to figure out how to get Facebook to cautiously foresee the consequences of what it says and does while remaining an appealing place to work. “Move slow and think things through” just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Read Full Article

The real threat to Facebook is the kool-aid turning sour

These kinds of leaks didn’t happen when I started reporting on Facebook eight years ago. It was a kool-aid cult convinced of its mission to connect everyone, but with the discipline of a military unit where everyone knew loose lips sink ships. Motivational posters with bold corporate slogans dotted its offices, rallying the troops. Employees were happy to be evangelists.

But then came the fake news, News Feed addiction, violence on Facebook Live, cyberbullying, abusive ad targeting, election interference, and most recently the Cambridge Analytica app data privacy scandals. All the while, Facebook either willfully believed the worst case scenarios could never come true, was naive to their existence, or calculated the benefits and growth outweighed the risks. And when finally confronted, Facebook often dragged its feet before admitting the extent of the problems.

Inside the social network’s offices, the bonds began to fray. Slogans took on sinister second meanings. The kool-aid tasted different.

Some hoped they could right the ship but couldn’t. Some craved the influence and intellectual thrill of running one of humanity’s most popular inventions, but now question if that influence and their work is positive. Others surely just wanted to collect salaries, stock, and resume highlights but lost the stomach for it.

Now the convergence of scandals has come to a head in the form of constant leaks.

The Trouble Tipping Point

The more benign leaks merely cost Facebook a bit of competitive advantage. We’ve learned it’s building a smart speaker, a standalone VR headset, and a Houseparty split-screen video chat clone.

Yet policy-focused leaks have exacerbated the backlash against Facebook, putting more pressure on the conscience of employees. As blame fell to Facebook for Trump’s election, word of Facebook prototyping a censorship tool for operating in China escaped, triggering questions about its respect for human rights and free speech. Facebook’s content rulebook got out alongside disturbing tales of the filth the company’s contracted moderators have to sift through. Its ad targeting was revealed to be able to pinpoint emotionally vulnerable teens.

In recent weeks, the leaks have accelerated to a maddening pace in the wake of Facebook’s soggy apologies regarding the Cambridge Analytica debacle. Its weak policy enforcement left the door open to exploitation of data users gave third-party apps, deepening the perception that Facebook doesn’t care about privacy.

And it all culminated with BuzzFeed publishing a leaked “growth at all costs” internal post from Facebook VP Andrew “Boz” Bosworth that substantiated people’s worst fears about the company’s disregard for user safety in pursuit of world domination. Even the ensuing internal discussion about the damage caused by leaks and how to prevent them…leaked.

But the leaks are not the disease, just the symptom. Sunken morale is the cause, and it’s dragging down the company. Former Facebook employee and Wired writer Antonio Garcia Martinez sums it up, saying this kind of vindictive, intentionally destructive leak fills Facebook’s leadership with “horror”:

The fact that some Facebooker would place their personal grudge and views above the interests of the company fills anyone on the home team with horror (in the same way that the current administration colluding with foreigners to secure a domestic victory does Americans).

— Antonio García Martínez (@antoniogm) March 30, 2018

And that sentiment was confirmed by Facebook’s VP of News Feed Adam Mosseri, who tweeted that leaks “create strong incentives to be less transparent internally and they certainly slow us down”, and will make it tougher to deal with the big problems.

I’m really worried about this. I worry it’ll make it much more difficult to step up to the challenges we face.

— Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) March 30, 2018

Those thoughts weigh heavy on Facebook’s team. A source close to several Facebook executives tells us they feel “embarrassed to work there” and are increasingly open to other job opportunities. One current employee told us to assume anything certain execs tell the media is “100% false”.

If Facebook can’t internally discuss the problems it faces without being exposed, how can it solve them?

Implosion

The consequences of Facebook’s failures are typically pegged as external hazards.

You might assume the government will finally step in and regulate Facebook. But the Honest Ads Act and other rules about ads transparency and data privacy could end up protecting Facebook by being simply a paperwork speed bump for it while making it tough for competitors to build a rival database of personal info. In our corporation-loving society, it seems unlikely that the administration would go so far as to split up Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — one of the few feasible ways to limit the company’s power.

Users have watched Facebook go make misstep after misstep over the years, but can’t help but stay glued to its feed. Even those who don’t scroll rely on it as fundamental utility for messaging and login on other sites. Privacy and transparency are too abstract for most people to care about. Hence, first-time Facebook downloads held steady and its App Store rank actually rose in the week after the Cambridge Analytica fiasco broke. In regards to the #DeleteFacebook movement, Mark Zuckerberg himself said “I don’t think we’ve seen a meaningful number of people act on that.” And as long as they’re browsing, advertisers will keep paying Facebook to reach them.

That’s why the greatest threat of the scandal convergence comes from inside. The leaks are the canary in the noxious blue coal mine.

Can Facebook Survive Slowing Down?

If employees wake up each day unsure whether Facebook’s mission is actually harming the world, they won’t stay. Facebook doesn’t have the same internal work culture problems as some giants like Uber. But there are plenty of other tech companies with less questionable impacts. Some are still private and offer the chance to win big on an IPO or acquisition. At the very least, those in the Bay could find somewhere to work without a spending hours a day on the traffic-snarled 101 freeway.

If they do stay, they won’t work as hard. It’s tough to build if you think you’re building a weapon. Especially if you thought you were going to be making helpful tools. The melancholy and malaise set in. People go into rest-and-vest mode, living out their days at Facebook as a sentence not an opportunity. The next killer product Facebook needs a year or two from now might never coalesce.

And if they do work hard, a culture of anxiety and paralysis will work against them. No one wants to code with their hands tied, and some would prefer a less scrutinized environment. Every decision will require endless philosophizing and risk-reduction. Product changes will be reduced to the lowest common denominator, designed not to offend or appear too tyrannical.

Source: Volkan Furuncu/Anadolu Agency + David Ramos/Getty Images

In fact, that’s partly how Facebook got into this whole mess. A leak by an anonymous former contractor led Gizmodo to report Facebook was suppressing conservative news in its Trending section. Terrified of appearing liberally biased, Facebook reportedly hesitated to take decisive action against fake news. That hands-off approach led to the post-election criticism that degraded morale and pushed the growing snowball of leaks down the mountain.

It’s still rolling.

How to stop morale’s downward momentum will be one of Facebook’s greatest tests of leadership. This isn’t a bug to be squashed. It can’t just roll back a feature update. And an apology won’t suffice. It will have to expel or reeducate the leakers and disloyal without instilling a witchunt’s sense of dread. Compensation may have to jump upwards to keep talent aboard like Twitter did when it was floundering. Its top brass will need to show candor and accountability without fueling more indiscretion. And it may need to make a shocking, landmark act of humility to convince employees its capable of change.

This isn’t about whether Facebook will disappear tomorrow, but whether it will remain unconquerable for the forseeable future.

Growth has been the driving mantra for Facebook since its inception. No matter how employees are evaluated, it’s still the underlying ethos. Facebook has poised itself as a mission-driven company. The implication was always that connecting people is good so connecting more people is better. The only question was how to grow faster.

Now Zuckerberg will have to figure out how to get Facebook to cautiously foresee the consequences of what it says and does while remaining an appealing place to work. “Move slow and think things through” just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Read Full Article

Adobe Hikes the Price of Creative Cloud: Buy Now to Save Money

Clipisode launches a ‘talk show in a box’

A company called Clipisode is today launching a new service that’s essentially a “talk show in a box,” as founder Brian Alvey describes it. Similar to how Anchor now allows anyone to build a professional podcast using simple mobile and web tools, Clipisode does this for video content. With Clipisode, you can record a video that can be shared across any platform – social media, the web, text messages – and collect video responses that can then be integrated into the “show” and overlaid with professional graphics.

The video responses feature is something more akin to a video voicemail-based call-in feature.

Here’s how it works. The content creator will first use Clipisode to record their video, and receive the link to share the video across social media, the web, or privately through email, text messaging, etc. When the viewer or guest clicks the link, they can respond to the question the show’s “host” posed.

For example, a reporter could ask for viewers’ thoughts on an issue or a creator could ask their fans what they want to see next.

How the video creator wants to use this functionality is really up to them, and specific to the type of video show they’re making.

To give you an idea, during a pre-launch period, the app has been tested by AXS TV to promote their upcoming Top Ten Revealed series by asking music industry experts “Who Is Your All-time Favorite Guitarist?”

BBC Scotland asked their Twitter followers who they want to see hired as the new manager for the Scotland national football team.

Who do you want as the next Scotland manager?

We asked and you told us.

Watch here

Watch my #Clipisode: "Sportscene Extra – Scotland Manager"
https://t.co/E28dfSrlIi

— Jonathan Sutherland (@BBCjsutherland) February 8, 2018

A full-time Twitch gamer, Chris Melberger asked his subscribers what device they watch Twitch on.

The content creator can then receive all the video responses to these questions privately, choose which ones they want to include in their finished show, and drag those responses into the order they want. The creator can respond back to the clips, too, or just add another clip at the end of of their video. Uploading pre-recorded clips from services like Dropbox or even your phone is supported as well.

Our Top Ten Revealed experts @josemangin @EddieTrunk @KevinBlatt @lyndseyparker @PeteGiovine made a Webisode highlighting their favorite guitarists to get you excited for the show!

Set your DVR for the premiere SUNDAY –> https://t.co/G9JlpvAoAA pic.twitter.com/Izqc1wu3Zv

— AXS TV (@AXSTV) February 10, 2018

Plus, content creators can use Clipisode to overlay professional-looking animations and graphics on top of the final video with the responses and replies. This makes it seem more like something made with help from a video editing team, not an app on your phone.

Because Clipisode invitations are web links, they don’t require the recipients to download an app.

“[People] don’t want to download an app for a one-time video reply,” explains Alvey. “But with this, people can reply.” And, he adds, what makes Clipisode interesting from a technical perspective, is that the web links users click to reply can work in any app in a way that feels seamless to the end user.

“That’s our biggest trick – making this work in other people’s apps, so there’s no new social network to join and nothing to download,” he says.

The app is free currently, but the plan is to generate revenue by later selling subscription access to the authoring suite where users can create the animated overlays and branding components that give the video the professional look-and-feel.

In an online CMS, creators can author, test and deploy animated themes that run on top of their videos.

The final video product can be shared back to social media, or downloaded as a video file to be published on video-sharing sites, social media, or as a video podcast.

Clipisode has been in development for some time, Alvey says. The company originally raised less than a million from investors including Mike Jones and Mark Cuban for a different product the founder describes as a Patreon competitor, before pivoting to Clipisode. Investors funded the new product with less than half a million.

The app itself took a couple of years to complete, something that Alvey says has to do with the animation studio it includes and the small team. (It’s just him and technical co-founder Max Schmeling.)

Clipisode is a free download on iOS and Android.

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The Best Superhero TV Shows and Where to Stream Them

We are living in the greatest age for live-action movies based on comic books. This is the best time for superhero TV series as well, but there have also been some other excellent shows in the past.

This is also the age of streaming and binge-watching television. So whether it’s a new show or a classic that every comic geek should watch, here are the best superhero TV shows and where you can stream them.

Note: Some of the shows aren’t available to stream on subscription services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Hulu. In those cases, we have added options to download digital versions.

Batman (1966-1968)

Not available to stream on subscription services.

• Seasons: 3
• Buy and Download on iTunes: The Complete Series ($74.99 each)
• Buy and Download on Amazon Video: Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 ($29.99 each)
• Buy and Download on Vudu: All Seasons ($39.99 each)

Batman is one of the most popular fictional characters ever, and no one should miss his classic 60s series starring Adam West. If you’re a first-timer to this, you’ll find it cheesy and cartoonish. But don’t overthink it. Just enjoy the goofy antics of Batman, Robin, and the big red phone. This is the show that inspired countless others, and continues to be a cult classic.

Wonder Woman (1975-1979)

Not available to stream on subscription services.

• Seasons: 3
• Buy and Download on iTunes: The Complete Series ($29.99 each)
• Buy and Download on Amazon Video: Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 ($29.99 each)
• Buy and Download on Vudu: All Seasons ($29.99 each)

Wonder Woman was one of the best geek movies of 2017, but Gal Gadot wasn’t the first person to make the role her own. Lynda Carter played the quintessential superheroine through the 1970s, perfectly essaying the role of the princess of Themyscira. Like the Batman show, this one feels cheesy now, but it’s a great example of how superhero movies and TV shows can be bright and full of hope, instead of dark and gritty melodramas.

Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995)

• Seasons: 4
• Stream All Seasons on Amazon Prime Video

As the Joker in the Batman video games, Mark Hamill is one of the biggest video game voiceover stars. But before the games, he got his start in Batman: The Animated Series (BTAS), perhaps the best cartoon of the Dark Knight. Over four seasons, you can watch the caped crusader take on The Joker and all sorts of other villains. Over time, you’ll even meet Robin, Batgirl, and other famous sidekicks. It might be old, but it still holds up.

Batman Beyond (1999-2001)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMXjtvMAFlI

Not available to stream on subscription services.

• Buy and Download on iTunes: Season 1 ($11.99) | Season 2 ($19.99) | Season 3 ($11.99)
• Buy and Download on Amazon Video: Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 ($11.99 each)
• Buy and Download on Vudu: All Seasons ($36.99 each)

Set in a futuristic Gotham City, Bruce Wayne has retired as Batman and takes on a protege to turn him into the new Batman. Wayne is a teacher sitting in his batcave, while a kid named Terry McGinnis fights crime in the darkness of the night. New gadgets, new technology, and even some new characters and villains await in this fresh take on the world’s greatest detective.

Smallville (2001-2011)

• Seasons: 10
• Stream All Seasons on Hulu

There isn’t a new Superman TV show, but that’s partly because the story of the teenage Clark Kent was done so well in the noughties. Smallville takes you to Kansas as Kent discovers his powers, makes new friends (including Lex Luthor), falls in love, and stops crime and disasters. Smallville is actually a teen drama disguised as a superhero series, but hey, who’s complaining?

Justice League Unlimited (2004-2006)

Not available to stream on subscription services.

• Buy and Download on iTunes: Season 1 ($24.99) | Season 2 ($17.99)
• Buy and Download on Vudu: All Seasons ($29.99 each)

In my opinion, Justice League Unlimited (JLU) is the best superhero TV series ever made. It’s a new take on how an organized worldwide superhero force would tackle issues. Apart from the famous superheroes, it often brings a lot of fringe DC characters into play and uses them well, not just as props and sidekicks. Over two seasons, you’ll watch excellent character arcs and stories, apart from some of the best voice acting in an animation. JLU is not just for kids, it’s one of the best animated shows for adults too.

Heroes (2006-2010)

• Seasons: 4
• Stream All Seasons on Crackle

Heroes is the only show in this entire list that is all about superheroes but has no connection to comic books. It’s about an ensemble of superheroes and villains scattered across the world, whose powers activate at the same time. Now they need to somehow find their way to each other and stop an elaborate conspiracy, and perhaps the end of the world as we know it. Do yourself a favour, just watch the four seasons of the original and not the 2015 spin-off Heroes Reborn.

Young Justice (2010-Ongoing)

Not available to stream on subscription services.

• Seasons: 2
• Buy and Download on iTunes: Season 1 ($24.99) | Season 2 ($17.99)
• Buy and Download on Vudu: All Seasons ($49.99 each)

The adolescent version of the Justice League, Young Justice features the wards of most of the premier DC superheroes. There core team consists of Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Superboy, Miss Martian, and Artemis, along with several others who join the team for some episodes. While it’s only two seasons, it’s a total of 56 episodes, which is 20.5 hours of TV entertainment. After you’re done binge-watching, I’d suggest binge-reading Peter David’s Young Justice run at one of these places to read comics online for free.

Ultimate Spider-man (2012-2017)

Not available to stream on subscription services.

• Seasons: 4
• Buy and Download on iTunes: Season 1 | Season 2 ($24.99 each)
• Buy and Download on iTunes: Season 3 | Season 4 ($39.99 each)
• Buy and Download on Vudu: All Seasons ($39.99 each)

While Marvel has been excelling at live-action shows and movies recently, it hasn’t been at the top of its game with animated shows. But Ultimate Spider-man stands apart from the rest. It’s the story of how a young Spider-man is trained, along with a team of other superheroes, to become the best crime-fighter he can be. Over four seasons, you’ll get to discover Marvel characters and comics like never before. And fans of Luke Cage won’t want to miss this one.

Arrow (2012-Ongoing)

• Seasons: 6
• Stream 4 Seasons on Netflix

DC has a line-up of hit TV series now, but it all started with a revival of the Green Arrow, simply titled Arrow. Millionaire playboy Oliver Queen returns to his city after being marooned on an island for years, where he became a master archer. Over the course of six seasons, Queen brings together a crew of sidekicks and crime fighters who become integral to his operations, and battles some arch-nemeses too.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013-Ongoing)

• Seasons: 5
• Stream 4 Seasons on Netflix

In the first Avengers movie, special agent Phil Coulson dies at the hands of Loki. But in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., a follow-up to the film, Coulson is alive and well, training a new team of special agents. Discovering hidden superpowers, a traitor among the group, and the mystery of how Coulson is alive, all come together to make for some compelling seasons of television. It’s truly one of the best TV shows for geeks.

The Flash (2014-Ongoing)

• Seasons: 4
• Stream 3 Seasons on Netflix

A freak accident turns Barry Allen into the fastest man alive, able to move quicker than the blink of an eye. The Flash is both a visual delight and an immensely entertaining TV series, as we follow the adventures of Allen from discovering his new powers to becoming a bonafide superhero. And the ensemble cast is full of endearing characters too, especially Allen’s foster father, Joe West.

Gotham (2014-Ongoing)

• Seasons: 4
• Stream 3 Seasons on Netflix

What was Gotham City like before Bruce Wayne returned as Batman? Watch the rise of supercop Jim Gordon, and several of the villains that would end up becoming Batman’s biggest threats, like the Penguin, the Riddler, and Catwoman. And of course, Gordon’s first case is to investigate the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne.

Agent Carter (2015-2016)

• Seasons: 2
• Stream All Seasons on Hulu

Agent Peggy Carter is an important character in the Captain America movies. But you have no idea just how cool she is until you watch the two seasons of Agent Carter. Set in the 1940s with the Second World War raging in the background, Carter must help Howard Stark (Iron Man’s father) from being framed for a crime he didn’t commit. Hayley Atwell is masterful as Carter, and the whole show’s 1940s motif is a visual delight.

Daredevil (2015-Ongoing)

• Seasons: 2
• Stream All Seasons on Netflix

In the A-Z of Netflix shows, D stands for Daredevil, and rightly so. This is the series that kicked off Marvel’s popular series of shows on the streaming service, all set in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen area. It’s a gritty world full of violence, and Daredevil is ready to kick some ass. Get ready for some of the best hand-to-hand combat scenes you’ll see in superhero movies or shows, and power-packed acting performances from heroes and villains alike.

Jessica Jones (2015-Ongoing)

• Seasons: 2
• Stream All Seasons on Netflix

The Jessica Jones TV series is different from the comic character, but it’s just as compelling. After hanging up her superhero boots, Jones starts her own agency as a private investigator. She still has her superpowers, but there’s an excellent detective arc going on throughout the show, along with tackling several social issues along the way. And you also get to meet sidekicks like Luke Cage and a great villain in Kilgrave.

Supergirl (2015-Ongoing)

• Seasons: 3
• Stream 2 Seasons on Netflix

If the new Superman movies are too dark and gritty for you, and you prefer the tone of the original Christopher Reeves version, then try out Supergirl. Kara Danvers is Clark Kent’s cousin, and she is finally ready to become her own superhero fighting for truth, justice, and the American way. It’s a charming drama in the new DC live-action series, set in the same world as Arrow and The Flash.

Luke Cage (2016-Ongoing)

• Seasons: 1
• Stream All Seasons on Netflix

Luke Cage might be at the bottom of our ranking of Marvel’s Netflix shows, but it’s still worth a watch. The only reason it ranked so low is because it starts off slow, so be patient and give it a few episodes. Once it picks up, it’s entertaining to watch the invulnerable Cage take matters into his own super-strong hands as he sets about cleaning up the streets of Harlem.

The Tick (2017-Ongoing)

• Seasons: 1
• Stream All Seasons on Amazon Prime Video

Easily the funniest superhero show around, The Tick is also the only Amazon Prime original about superheroes. Follow invulnerable superhero The Tick and his conspiracy theorist sidekick Arthur as they try to uncover who is controlling crime in their city. Witty one-liners, crazy catchphrases, funny repartee, and plenty of dark humor make this as good as the original 2001 series, even if it’s missing the slapstick elements.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (2016-Ongoing)

• Seasons: 3
• Stream 2 Seasons on Netflix

If paired with a group of heroes, can villains tap into their inner goodness to save the world? DC’s Legends of Tomorrow is a motley crew of superheroes and supervillains, brought together by a time-traveller. And they must do everything they can to correct the timeline of the world to stop Vandal Savage from taking over the world. It’s a cool concept, and the show is fun (albeit goofy at times and with some plot holes). Plus, you get crossovers with Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl every season, so that’s a great bonus, right?

Don’t Forget About the Movies!

While you’re catching up on all these superhero TV shows, don’t forget that there are some awesome superhero flicks amongst our pick of the geekiest movies of 2018. Apart from Black Panther, look out for Avengers: Infinity War, The New Mutants, Aquaman, and sequels to Deadpool, Ant-Man, and The X-Men. What a time to be alive!

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Google’s on-by-default ‘Articles for You’ leverage browser dominance for 2,100 percent growth

When you’ve got leverage, don’t be afraid to use it. That’s been Google’s modus operandi in the news and publishing world over the last year or so as it has pushed its AMP platform, funding various news-related ventures that may put it ahead, and nourished its personalized Chrome tabs on mobile. The latter, as Nieman Labs notes, grew 2,100 percent in 2017.

You may have noticed, since Chrome is a popular mobile browser and this setting is on by default, but the “Articles for You” appear automatically in every new tab, showing you a bunch of articles the company things you’d like. And it’s gone from driving 15 million article views to a staggering 341 million over the last year.

In late 2016, when Google announced the product, I described it as “polluting” the otherwise useful new tab page. I also don’t like the idea of being served news when I’m not actively looking for it — I understand that when I visit Google News (and I do) that my browser history (among other things) is being scoured to determine what categories and stories I’ll see. I also understand that everything I do on the site, as on every Google site, is being entered into its great data engine in order to improve its profile of me.

Like I said, when I visit a Google site, I expect that. But a browser is supposed to be a tool, not a private platform, and the idea that every tab I open is another data point and another opportunity for Google to foist its algorithms on me is rankling.

It has unsavory forebears. Remember Internet Explorer 6, which came with MSN.com as the default homepage? That incredible positioning drove so much traffic that for years after (and indeed, today) it drove disgusting amounts of traffic to anything it featured. But that traffic was tainted: you knew that firehose was in great part clicks from senior citizens who thought MSN was the entire internet.

Of course the generated pages for individual users aren’t the concentrated fire of a link on a major portal, but they are subject to Google approval and, of course, the requisite ranking bonus for AMP content. Can’t forget that!

But wherever you see the news first, that’s your news provider. And you can’t get much earlier than “as soon as you open a new tab.” That’s pretty much the ultimate positioning advantage.

Just how this amazing growth occurred is unclear. If there’s been any word of mouth, I missed it. “Have you tried scrolling down? The news is just right there!” It seems unlikely. My guess would be that the feature has been steadily rolling out in new regions, opting in new users who occasionally scroll down and see these stories.

And unlike many other news distribution platforms, there isn’t much for publishers or sites like this one to learn about it. How are stories qualified for inclusion? Is there overlap with Google News stuff? What’s shown if people aren’t signed in? I’ve asked Google for further info.

Do you, like me, dislike the idea that every time you open a tab — not just when you use its services — Google uses it as an opportunity to monetize you, however indirectly? Fortunately, and I may say consistent with Google’s user-friendliness in this type of thing, you can turn it off quite easily — on iOS, anyway.

Open the menu at the top right of any tab and hit settings. There should be a “Suggested articles” toggle — disable that and you’re done. While you’re at it, you might just head into Privacy and disable search and site suggestions and usage data.

On Android? You’ll have to dig into the app’s flags and toggle the hidden setting there. Not as user-friendly.

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Facebook’s mission changed, but its motives didn’t

In January, Facebook announced that it would be changing its feed algorithm to promote users’ well-being over time spent browsing content. That’s a relatively new approach for a company whose ethos once centered around “move fast, break things.”

It wasn’t all that long ago (approximately a year and a half before the algorithm change) that Facebook VP Andrew “Boz” Bosworth, published an internal memo called “The Ugly,” which was circulated throughout the company. In it, Boz made it clear to employees that connecting people (i.e. growth) is the main focus at Facebook, at all costs.

Buzzfeed first published the memo, which said:

Maybe it costs a life by exposing someone to bullies. Maybe someone dies in a terrorist attack coordinated on our tools.

And still we connect people.

The ugly truth is that we believe in connecting people so deeply that anything that allows us to connect more people more often is *de facto* good. It is perhaps the only area where the metrics do tell the true story as far as we are concerned.

He goes on:

That isn’t something we are doing for ourselves. Or for our stock price (ha!). It is literally just what we do. We connect people. Period.

That’s why all the work we do in growth is justified. All the questionable contact importing practices. All the subtle language that helps people stay searchable by friends. All of the work we do to bring more communication in. The work we will likely have to do in China some day. All of it.

Facebook launched in 2004 and ushered in a honeymoon period for users. We reveled in uploading photos from our digital cameras and sharing them with friends. We cared about each and every notification. We shared our status. We played Farmville. We diligently curated our Likes.

But the honeymoon is over. Facebook grew to 1 billion active users in 2012. The social network now has over 2 billion active users. A growing number of people get their news from social media. The size and scope of Facebook is simply overwhelming.

And we’ve been well aware, as users and outsiders looking in on the network, that just like any other tool, Facebook can be used for evil.

But there was still some question whether or not Facebook leadership understood that principle, and if they did, whether or not they actually cared.

For a long time, perhaps too long, Facebook adhered to the “Move fast, break things” mentality. And things have certainly been broken, from fake news circulated during the 2016 Presidential election to the improper use of user data by third-party developers and Cambridge Analytica. And that’s likely the tip of the iceberg.

The memo was written long before the shit hit the fan for Facebook. It was published following the broadcast of Antonio Perkins’ murder on Facebook. This was back when Facebook was still insisting that it isn’t a media company, that it is simply a set of pipes through which people can ship off their content.

What is so shocking about the memo is that it confirms some of our deepest fears. A social network, with a population greater than any single country, is solely focused on growth over the well-being of the society it’s built. That the ends, to be a product everyone uses, might justify the means.

Facebook has tried to move away from this persona, however gently. In late 2016, Zuckerberg finally budged on the idea that Facebook is a media company, clarifying that it’s not a traditional media company. Last year, the company launched the Journalism Project in response to the scary growth of fake news on the platform. Zuckerberg even posted full-page print ads seeking patience and forgiveness in the wake of this most recent Cambridge Analytica scandal.

While that all seems like more of a public relations response than actionable change, it’s better than the stoic, inflexible silence of before.

After Buzzfeed published the memo, Boz and Zuckerberg both responded.

Boz said it was all about spurring internal debate to help shape future tools.

My statement on the recent Buzzfeed story containing a post I wrote in 2016 pic.twitter.com/lmzDMcrjv5

— Boz (@boztank) March 29, 2018

Zuck had this to say:

Boz is a talented leader who says many provocative things. This was one that most people at Facebook including myself disagreed with strongly. We’ve never believed the ends justify the means.

We recognize that connecting people isn’t enough by itself. We also need to work to bring people closer together. We changed our whole mission and company focus to reflect this last year.

If Boz wrote this memo to spark debate, it’s hard to discern whether that debate led to real change.

The memo has since been deleted, but you can read the full text below:

The Ugly

We talk about the good and the bad of our work often. I want to talk about the ugly.

We connect people.

That can be good if they make it positive. Maybe someone finds love. Maybe it even saves the life of someone on the brink of suicide.

So we connect more people

That can be bad if they make it negative. Maybe it costs a life by exposing someone to bullies. Maybe someone dies in a terrorist attack coordinated on our tools.

And still we connect people.

The ugly truth is that we believe in connecting people so deeply that anything that allows us to connect more people more often is *de facto* good. It is perhaps the only area where the metrics do tell the true story as far as we are concerned.

That isn’t something we are doing for ourselves. Or for our stock price (ha!). It is literally just what we do. We connect people. Period.

That’s why all the work we do in growth is justified. All the questionable contact importing practices. All the subtle language that helps people stay searchable by friends. All of the work we do to bring more communication in. The work we will likely have to do in China some day. All of it.

The natural state of the world is not connected. It is not unified. It is fragmented by borders, languages, and increasingly by different products. The best products don’t win. The ones everyone use win.

I know a lot of people don’t want to hear this. Most of us have the luxury of working in the warm glow of building products consumers love. But make no mistake, growth tactics are how we got here. If you joined the company because it is doing great work, that’s why we get to do that great work. We do have great products but we still wouldn’t be half our size without pushing the envelope on growth. Nothing makes Facebook as valuable as having your friends on it, and no product decisions have gotten as many friends on as the ones made in growth. Not photo tagging. Not news feed. Not messenger. Nothing.

In almost all of our work, we have to answer hard questions about what we believe. We have to justify the metrics and make sure they aren’t losing out on a bigger picture. But connecting people. That’s our imperative. Because that’s what we do. We connect people.

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Google’s on-by-default ‘Articles for You’ leverage browser dominance for 2,100 percent growth

When you’ve got leverage, don’t be afraid to use it. That’s been Google’s modus operandi in the news and publishing world over the last year or so as it has pushed its AMP platform, funding various news-related ventures that may put it ahead, and nourished its personalized Chrome tabs on mobile. The latter, as Nieman Labs notes, grew 2,100 percent in 2017.

You may have noticed, since Chrome is a popular mobile browser and this setting is on by default, but the “Articles for You” appear automatically in every new tab, showing you a bunch of articles the company things you’d like. And it’s gone from driving 15 million article views to a staggering 341 million over the last year.

In late 2016, when Google announced the product, I described it as “polluting” the otherwise useful new tab page. I also don’t like the idea of being served news when I’m not actively looking for it — I understand that when I visit Google News (and I do) that my browser history (among other things) is being scoured to determine what categories and stories I’ll see. I also understand that everything I do on the site, as on every Google site, is being entered into its great data engine in order to improve its profile of me.

Like I said, when I visit a Google site, I expect that. But a browser is supposed to be a tool, not a private platform, and the idea that every tab I open is another data point and another opportunity for Google to foist its algorithms on me is rankling.

It has unsavory forebears. Remember Internet Explorer 6, which came with MSN.com as the default homepage? That incredible positioning drove so much traffic that for years after (and indeed, today) it drove disgusting amounts of traffic to anything it featured. But that traffic was tainted: you knew that firehose was in great part clicks from senior citizens who thought MSN was the entire internet.

Of course the generated pages for individual users aren’t the concentrated fire of a link on a major portal, but they are subject to Google approval and, of course, the requisite ranking bonus for AMP content. Can’t forget that!

But wherever you see the news first, that’s your news provider. And you can’t get much earlier than “as soon as you open a new tab.” That’s pretty much the ultimate positioning advantage.

Just how this amazing growth occurred is unclear. If there’s been any word of mouth, I missed it. “Have you tried scrolling down? The news is just right there!” It seems unlikely. My guess would be that the feature has been steadily rolling out in new regions, opting in new users who occasionally scroll down and see these stories.

And unlike many other news distribution platforms, there isn’t much for publishers or sites like this one to learn about it. How are stories qualified for inclusion? Is there overlap with Google News stuff? What’s shown if people aren’t signed in? I’ve asked Google for further info.

Do you, like me, dislike the idea that every time you open a tab — not just when you use its services — Google uses it as an opportunity to monetize you, however indirectly? Fortunately, and I may say consistent with Google’s user-friendliness in this type of thing, you can turn it off quite easily — on iOS, anyway.

Open the menu at the top right of any tab and hit settings. There should be a “Suggested articles” toggle — disable that and you’re done. While you’re at it, you might just head into Privacy and disable search and site suggestions and usage data.

On Android? You’ll have to dig into the app’s flags and toggle the hidden setting there. Not as user-friendly.

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How to Build a Cheap Android PC With Inexpensive Parts

Huawei says it’s still committed to the U.S., in spite of, well, everything

A funny thing happened the last couple of times I was briefed on a Huawei flagship product: news was breaking about some major roadblock for the company’s U.S. distribution plans. First it was AT&T backing out in the midst of CES and then it was Best Buy’s decision to drop the company just ahead of the big P20 launch (though a rep for the company told me the States were never part of its plans for that handset). 

It’s been one thing after another as the Chinese hardware maker has worked to establish a meaningful presence here in the States. In spite of all of this fallout from government pushback, however, the company insists that it’s not going anywhere.

In an email to CNET, the company’s consumer CEO reaffirmed that commitment. “We are committed to the U.S. market and to earning the trust of U.S. consumers by staying focused on delivering world-class products and innovation,” Yu writes. “We would never compromise that trust.”

The sentiment echoes statements Yu made on-stage at CES in the wake of the AT&T deal implosion — albeit much more measured this time around. Most of Yu’s followup reinforced his earlier assertions that, in spite of multiple warning from various US security departments, this whole thing is blow entirely out of proportion.

“The security risk concerns are based on groundless suspicions and are quite frankly unfair,” Yu adds. ”We welcome an open and transparent discussion if it is based on facts.”

Even if the company’s intentions are as stated, Huawei’s got an epic uphill climb if it’s going to make any sort of dent in the world’s third-largest mobile market. The company’s carrier play is non-existent in a country where most phones are purchased through telecoms. And abandonment by the biggest big box store in the States was insult to injury.

And if the company does manage to reverse those trends, it will still be a hard sell for U.S. consumers after several warnings from the country’s defense departments. 

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