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Hackers Got Inside a Flock Camera. Its Data Shows How the System Really Works
A hacker collective pulled down a Flock camera and dumped its data. The files included thousands of videos and logs showing that the device captured 1.6 million images of 50,000 vehicles in 21 days. Hackers ripped down a Flock camera above a roadway, made a near-complete copy of the data stored inside it, and shared the files with 404 Media and WIRED, revealing in new detail how exactly Flock Safety's cameras track the movements of both vehicles and people . The hackers say they are also publishing details on how they managed to obtain the software, in the hopes that other people may copy them. The breach provides an unprecedented look inside a system that Flock has described as protected by on-device encryption .
China Isn't Buying Silicon Valley's Call for an AI Slowdown
The US and China agree that advanced AI poses serious risks. But Beijing is deeply skeptical of a deal that prioritizes keeping US companies ahead. For years, many of the most powerful people in Silicon Valley have argued that the US is locked in an AI arms race with China, and that the consequences of losing would be disastrous. But over the past week, those same executives have started emphasizing a different message. AI has the potential to become so dangerous, tech leaders say, that the two countries urgently need to work together to slow the race down.
Polymarket's Next Bet? It Can Also Be a Media Company
The legal battle over whether prediction markets are a form of gambling has overshadowed something else entirely: They're already a new form of media. Every day, a newsletter from the prediction market Polymarket hits my inbox with a subject line that could easily come from any number of politics-focused newspapers or magazines. Recent entries include "Houthis Reveal New Precision Strike Capabilities," "BREAKING: Trump Unveils Green Energy Beam," and "World War I, 2.0?" These dispatches are roundups with breathless summaries of the day's top stories, linking out to corresponding Polymarket markets--yes, this thing will happen; no, it won't. As far as business news analysis goes, the newsletter is not exactly Bloomberg's, or even Emily Sundberg's --but it's recognizably a commercial editorial product, and one that plays an important role in the prediction market ecosystem.
'Smart' Nanoparticles Deliver mRNA Directly to Tumors in New Cancer Therapy
'Smart' Nanoparticles Deliver mRNA Directly to Tumors in New Cancer Therapy The treatment can reprogram immune cells that have been corrupted by the cancer, strengthening the body's ability to attack. They are responsible for keeping our own tissues in check, taking out cancerous cells before they have a chance to grow. Once a tumor forms, however, it can create an environment that declaws cancer-fighting immune cells--in some cases even reprogramming them to suppress other parts of the immune system. Overcoming the oppressive tumor environment remains a barrier for even some of the most promising treatments. "One of the biggest challenges in cancer immunotherapy is that the immune system may be capable of attacking a tumor, but the tumor environment can stop those immune cells from doing their job," University of Adelaide professor Chunxia Zhao explained in a press release .
AI 'Actor' Tilly Norwood Told Me That 'All Lives Matter'
AI'Actor' Tilly Norwood Told Me That'All Lives Matter' The virtual character, which is promoting its upcoming movie, tries to evade politics by repetitively commenting on the clothes you're wearing. A generated image of AI actress, Tilly Norwood. For Hollywood stars, press junkets are an opportunity to promote new work while connecting with fans. They tell funny or embarrassing stories about one another, give us a glimpse into the film production process, and reveal mannerisms that make them more relatable. So why would anyone want to talk to Tilly Norwood, an interactive, British-accented digital character and "actor" developed with generative artificial intelligence by Xicoia, an AI division of a studio called Particle 6 Group?
Why the Postpandemic Tech Bust Sent Billionaires to Trump
Following mass layoffs in 2022 and 2023, many tech workers turned against their employers. When liberal politicians also rallied against Silicon Valley, their backers turned to Donald Trump. In the spring of 2020, as a new and highly contagious virus spread throughout the country, the US came to a standstill. The economy shut down, cities emptied, and white-collar workers were sent home en masse. Platforms like Zoom, Slack, and Microsoft Teams surged in usage as WFH became ubiquitous. From remote schooling and virtual weddings to app-based grocery delivery and livestreamed concerts, the pandemic accelerated and cemented society's increasing reliance on digital platforms. Already one of the most powerful forces in the American economy, the tech sector suddenly became the infrastructure underpinning every aspect of life.
'I Felt Super Violated': Men Wearing Meta Glasses on Dates Is an Instant Red Flag
'I Felt Super Violated': Men Wearing Meta Glasses on Dates Is an Instant Red Flag As anxieties over surveillance tech grow, unsuspecting singles are sharing stories of being covertly filmed on dates by Meta smart glasses. Courtney McAnuff was out of a year-long relationship in the summer of 2024 and starting to date again when she agreed to grab drinks with a potential suitor. They met at a bar in midtown Manhattan . He arrived wearing a baseball cap pulled low and sported a pair of black-framed glasses, she says. As conversation flowed, from discussions about navigating life in New York to past relationships, he mentioned that his glasses were Meta Ray-Bans.
Those Viral Bodega Peptides Aren't Actually Peptides
WIRED tested samples of four types of peptides. The results show how lightly regulated the industry is, even as popularity surges. The Mr. Green bodega sits on a busy stretch of Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. Near the counter, you can buy the usual assortment of candy, gum, rolling papers, and soda. You can also purchase tiny vials of injectable peptides .
Lawmakers Want States to Crack Down on Flock Cameras--or Pay the Price
A new bipartisan effort in Congress to rein in automated license plate readers takes a page from the national drinking age: Comply, or risk losing federal highway funding. A bipartisan pair of US lawmakers tell WIRED they plan to introduce legislation today that would strip federal funding from states that fail to restrict the use of Flock cameras and other automated license plate readers. The devices, which help police track the location of vehicles tied to crimes, have become the subject of nationwide backlash in recent months over more nefarious uses by officers. The No FLOCK Act--for Federal License-Plate Observation and Camera Keeping--directs the US secretary of transportation to withhold 10 percent of annual financial support due to states for highways, roads, and bridges if it fails to ban Flock and similar devices for all but five use cases. Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat representing Chicago suburbs, and Michael Cloud, a Republican whose Texas district includes Corpus Christi, are cosponsoring the bill.
If the US Collapses Soon, Don't Blame Emily St. John Mandel
And what that came with for me was an absolute terror of quitting the day job, because there is no safety net. I was working retail in Toronto and Montreal. I became an assistant in New York. I had a really great job for a long time at The Rockefeller University. I was an admin in a cancer research lab, and I loved that. It was such a pleasure to be surrounded by such smart people doing interesting work, and the health insurance was incredible. I kept that job until a year after came out.