Mission Everywhere

Jacqueline Sweet / The Spectator World : Analysis of social media posts, AI art, Spaces comments, biographical details, and more suggests Adrian Dittmann is a German fan of Elon Musk living in Fiji   —  An Elon Musk fan in Fiji tricks the world  —  The AI avatar for the Adrian Dittmann X account, left, and Adrian Dittmann appearing … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/ey5ubRz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and billionaire Elon Musk. SOEREN STACHE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images and Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC German Chancellor Olaf Scholz responded to criticism from billionaire Elon Musk. Musk called Scholz an "incompetent fool" and signaled his support for Germany's AfD party. In a new interview, Scholz said he was concerned about Musk backing the AfD. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz responded to criticism from Elon Musk in a new interview with a German magazine. In the interview published in Stern on Saturday, Scholz said there was "nothing new" about criticism from "rich media entrepreneurs who do not appreciate social democratic politics and do not hide their opinions." The key, he said, is to "keep your cool." "There are many people on social media who want to attract attention with strong slogans," he continued. "The rule is: Don't feed the troll." He added that he found it "far ...

Kamya Pandey / MEDIANAMA : A look at India's draft DPDP Rules, which require platforms to verify the age and identity of a parent when obtaining consent to process data of users under 18   —  The newly released draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules, 2025 say that online platforms must check the age … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/NROdo35

Bloomberg : Sources: Getty Images is exploring a merger with rival Shutterstock; deliberations are ongoing and Getty could decide not to pursue a deal   —  - Getty weighing how to structure combo with stock-photo rival … Getty has been weighing how to structure a combination that would bring together … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/D7yIiWb

Jason Koebler / 404 Media : Meta says the viral AI profiles on Facebook and Instagram were created in 2023 as part of “an early experiment” with AI characters, and it is deleting them   —  Earlier this week, Meta executive Connor Hayes told the Financial Times that the company is going to roll out AI character profiles … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/cOiN1YJ

The Verge : Elon Musk fanboy Adrian Dittmann's alleged 4Chan posts and X activity suggest he might be Musk's fake online persona; source: the viral 4Chan screenshot is fake   —  A screenshot that seems to suggest billionaire Elon Musk is cosplaying superfan “Adrian Dittmann” — showing X account permissions beyond … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/rbYZwvD

Ryan Christoffel / 9to5Mac : Apple Intelligence, with features like Genmoji and Image Playground in iOS 18.2, requires 7GB of storage, compared to 4GB in iOS 18.1   —  Apple Intelligence arrived on compatible iPhones, iPads, and Macs via a staggered rollout.  There were new features launched in both iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/1vZTFWu

The Tesla Cybertruck after it exploded outside the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas on Wednesday in a screengrab taken from a social media video. Alcides Antunes/Reuters The driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside a Trump hotel has been identified. Matthew Alan Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado Springs, was the person who died in the explosion, the AP reported. Livelsberger had been an active-duty Army servicemember for nearly two decades, the US Army told BI. The driver of the Tesla Cybertruck who died when it exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday has been identified as an active-duty US Army servicemember, according to media reports. Matthew Alan Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado Springs, rented the electric vehicle and was behind the wheel when it blew up, the Associated Press and The Wall Street Journal reported . Livelsberger was a master sergeant who served as a special operations soldier, a US Army spokesperson said. Livel...

Sam Reynolds / CoinDesk : The T3 Financial Crime Unit says it has frozen $100M of USDT used by illicit actors since the unit was formed in September 2024 by Tron, TRM Labs, and Tether   —  The unit is a joint venture between Tron, TRM Labs and Tether.  —  What to know: … The T3 Financial Crime Unit … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/oBbjAaF

John Herrman / New York Magazine : Meta saying it expects AI characters to populate its apps is its friendly rebrand of an effective but alienating effort to automate social interactions   —  Why AI friends are coming to Facebook and Instagram.  —  Among Meta's many resolutions for the new year — making augmented reality … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/jmPOMkl

The FBI has identified the driver in the attack on New Orleans as 42-year-old US citizen Shamsud-Din Jabbar. AP Photo/Matthew Hinton FBI identified Shamsud-Din Jabbar as the suspect in New Orleans truck attack. Jabbar, now deceased, was a US citizen from Texas and had a criminal record. At least 10 people are confirmed dead, and dozens more were injured. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified the suspect in Wednesday's deadly attack in New Orleans as Shamsud-Din Jabbar. The agency said Jabbar, who was confirmed dead after a shootout with police, was a 42-year-old US citizen from Texas, and his actions are being investigated as a terrorist attack. At least 10 people are confirmed dead, and dozens more were injured, after the suspect drove the truck into crowds on Bourbon Street at about 3:15 a.m. on New Year's Day. Two police officers were shot but are in stable condition. The FBI said an ISIS flag, as well as weapons and a "potential" improvis...

Sylvia Pfeifer / Financial Times : The defense industry is poised for a deal surge as firms expand in AI, drones, and space systems; Bain: VC deal value in the sector has risen 18x in a decade   —  Large contractors expected to use growing cash piles to invest in high-growth areas  —  Defence companies are primed for a surge … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/Z90SlpB

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more College football is super-sizing its playoffs this year, which should bring more attention to teams like top-ranked University of Oregon. Ross Harried/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesUniversity of Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel The college football quarterfinals have arrived, and among the highly-anticipated games is a can't-miss Oregon vs. Ohio State Big Ten showdown. We'll show you how to watch the Rose Bowl from home, including live streaming options for those without cable. The Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes meet for a second time this season. They last played in a tight October game that saw the Ducks win by just one point, with a final 32-31 score. Oregon has had a stellar, undefeated season, the only team to pull off the feat for the 2024-2025 season. They're new to the Big Ten and have provided a strong challenge for conference mainstays like Ohio State. The Buckeye...