2024 Daily Tech News Show


1			TITLE: Facebook is Not a Necessity!	Guest:

2			Stories subject to change up until showtime
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4		tm	Daily Tech News Show is made possible by its listeners. Thanks to all of you including Scott Hepburn Jeff Wilkes Pele_Glendale New Patrons: FoxFreeJack and Kris!
5			On this episode of DTNS, Why Netflix should hide subscriber numbers, Nate Lanxon helps us understand why the EU might require Facebook to give away its service with lower-value ads, and should we stop calling people users?	Twitch Chat Pop-out Window
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7			Today's date	--== START OF DTNS ==--
8			This is the Daily Tech News for... Friday April 19th, 2024. In LA, I'm Tom Merritt
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10			From Studio Animal House I'm Sarah Lane
11			Drawing the Top Tech stories, In Cleveland - I'm Len Peralta
12			And I'm the show's Producer Roger Chang
13			Introduce Guest
14			Nate Lanxon - Bloomberg's Tech Editor and Host of the Tech's Message podcast
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17	:01	TM	Let's start with the Quick Hits.
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19			Quick Hits	Quick Hits:
20		sl	China does not allow App Store operators to carry certain apps it determines violates Chinese laws. For example, Facebook is inaccessible in China. The Cyberspace Administration of China has now issued orders against several messaging apps, requiring App Store operators, such as Apple, to remove WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal from their app stores, over national security concerns. The order also asked apps stores to remove the Threads microblog service.	https://www.wsj.com/tech/apple-removes-whatsapp-threads-from-china-app-store-on-government-orders-a0c02100
21		tm	The US bill that would force Bytedance to sell the US version of TikTok or order its distributions topped in the US is gaining a second wind.The bill was previously passed in the house but the Senate did not take it up. A second version of the bill will most likely be voted on Saturday with two changes. One, there's a longer period for Bytedance to sell it after the bill becomes law, 9 months instead of 6, plus an option for a 3 month extension at the president's discretion. And it's now packaged in with sanctions on Iran and Russia. Additionally, Senator Maria Cantwell has said she now fully supports the bill with these changes, making it possible it would get Senate approval next week. If it passes and becomes law, Bytedance will likely challenge it on constitutional grounds.	https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/18/24133975/tiktok-divest-ban-bill-foreign-aid-package-house-senate
22		sl	Tuesday, Microsoft Research Asia announced VASA-1, a diffusion model that can make a video of a person based on one photo and synced to an audio recording of speech or singing. VASA stands for Visual Affective Skills Animator. The animation can render facial expressions, head movements and sync lips to speech. It's similar to Alibaba's EMO: Emote Portrait Alive which can sync an animated video to an audio track as well. Microsoft's VASA-1 can generate videos at 512x512 pixel resolution at 40 frames pers second, suitable for use as a video conference avatar. VASA-1 is a research demonstration and Microsoft doesn't plan to release the model as a product or API at this time.	https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/04/microsofts-vasa-1-can-deepfake-a-person-with-one-photo-and-one-audio-track/	2
23		tm	DJI is taking its battery smarts developed for its quadcopter and putting it into power stations. The Power 500 sells for $379 and the Power 1000 for $699. This model numbers are proxies for 1024 and 512 WattHours. They'r pretty comparable to what you might see from Anker or EcoFlow with the usual selection of DC, AC and USB ports. But the differentiator is a proprietary bidirectional port called Smart SDC that can fast charge DJI drone batteries along with other things like take power from Solar panels. The batteries use Lithium Iron Phosphate or LFP, which last longer and. Are a little safer than traditional NMC batteries.	https://www.theverge.com/24134689/dji-power-1000-500-sdc-port-explained-specs-price	2
24		sl	Meta cut the price of the Quest 2 from $249 to $199. That's the second price cut this year as the headset started the year at $299. The Quest 3 continues to sell for $499. So you're not getting the cutting edge of Meta's VR, but it's still a capable headset with 1832x1920 per eye and a 90Hz refresh rate. You can even access Xbox Cloud Gaming on it.	https://www.engadget.com/meta-gives-the-quest-2-its-second-permanent-price-cut-in-four-months-184511096.html
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27			Let's talk a little more about...	Top Stories:
28	:05		SEGMENT A - BIG NEWS
29		sl	Netflix announced its Q1 earnings report on Thursday, with overall positive news. Netflix beat earnings, revenue and subscriber estimates. Subscribers rose 16% in the quarter and hit 269.6 million worldwide, well above the 164.2 million expected. But Neflix is going to do something different a year from now, when we get to Q1 2025 earnings, because whether Netflix's subscriber base shrinks or swells, Neflix isn't going to tell us. The company announced at that point it will no longer report total subscribers, instead focusing on engagement — time spent with the service — is its “best proxy for customer satisfaction.” Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said, “We’re in the very early days of developing our live programming and I would look at this as an expansion of the types of content we offer." So expect more live stunt programming like the Jake Paul/Mike Tyson fight. Subscriber numbers are a huge metric for any streaming service's growth and scale. And Netflix's subs are growing, for now. So why the decision to hide them?	https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/18/netflix-nflx-earnings-q1-2024.html
30			---	https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/netflix-stop-reporting-subscriber-numbers-starting-2025-1235975341/
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32			NOTES: - Netflix said it will still announce “major subscriber milestones as we cross them” - Netflix has been pushing further into sports-related content, including a $5 billion deal to livestream World Wrestling Entertainment’s flagship Raw program in the US over the next decade.	https://arstechnica.com/culture/2024/04/password-crackdown-leads-to-more-income-for-netflix/
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37	:12		SEGMENT B - COHOST SEGMENT
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39		tm	Taylor Majewski has a story on MIT Technology Review called "It’s time to retire the term “user”: The proliferation of AI means we need a new word." The article quotes cognitive scientist Don Norman, the author of "the Design of Everyday Things" saying that designers in the 1990s when he worked at Apple thought of users as part of the system. not as a person. Majewski posits this created a distance between software companies and their customers. Both Norman and a Georgia Tech professor, Janet Murray, have advocated against the term user as depersonalizing. Jack Dorsey changed Square from citing users, to citing customers. Facebook started trying to use the word "People" instead of user, starting in 2014. What do you think Nate? Should we avoid the word user?	https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/04/19/1090872/ai-users-people-terms/
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43			NOTES Then there's this bombshell: �"I want more product designers to consider language models as their primary users too,” Karina Nguyen, a researcher and engineer at the AI startup Anthropic, wrote recently on X (https://twitter.com/karinanguyen_/status/1757570670572302490). “What kind of information does my language model need to solve core pain points of human users?” Majewski doesn't follow that line of thinking too far, just enough to point out that generative models are usually described as collaborators and therefore we are not their users. Which is interesting as well.
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47		tm	Watch Tom'sTop Five. The show where I break down the top five things you need to know about technology. This week I count down the Top Five... Pop Stars who've recorded video game music . You can catch it at @dailytechnewsshow on TikTok, @dtnspix on Instagram and youtube at youtube dot com slash daily tech news show!	Check out Tom’s Top Five: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHN12N7TXUyeSz1XWNVjwDvdzpAycENQi
48			PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE
49			More Discussion Stories	Discussion Story:
50	:18		SEGMENT D - MAIN TOPIC
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52		tm	In Europe, Meta is required to get informed and feely given user consent before tracking them for advertising purposes. Meta cannot charge as much for ads that are not as closely targeted and is concerned if most people do not give that consent it will not make enough money to justify running its businesses like Facebook and Instagram. Its solution? Let folks either agree to tracking, or pay for the service, or just don't use it.	https://www.aol.com/news/meta-users-free-option-without-153933960.html
53		sl	The European Data Protection Board said Wednesday that if a controller of a service, like Meta, wants to "opt to charge a fee for access to the 'equivalent alternative', they should give significant consideration to offering an additional alternative. This free alternative should be without behavioural advertising." The recommendation is not legally binding. Before we get into the discussion, Patrick Beja wanted to comment on thie story and sent us this message:
54			"Hey, Tom and Crew. I wanted to weigh in on this converstation... ... maybe it can't, but it's an interesting question which I don't thinkt we should just throw away "because, oh big government" and that's bad bad. Alright, see you"		https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/xfyxlonjmp4erplie60va/Patrick-s-important-take-on-the-EDPB-decision-1.mp3?rlkey=4j8chb6xdk39of0aygzm2lchw&st=axg6y5fb&dl=0
55			TRT: 00:01:39
56		sl	-0- Nate, what's your take on this?
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59			POSSIBLE NOTE OR TAG OUT - Reuters' sources say Apple's proposal to open up tap-to-pay functions to third parties to be approved next month	https://www.reuters.com/technology/apples-offer-open-up-tap-and-go-tech-be-approved-by-eu-next-month-sources-say-2024-04-19/
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64		tm	Let's check out the mailbag
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66	:27	sl	Mailbag (feedback@dailytechnewsshow.com) (ALT: Kicker)	Mailbag:
67			Yesterday in our conversation with Dr Niki Ackermans about "AI training AI", Robb was chuckling about how in the olden days if you kept taking a photocopy of a photocopy you see the quality degrade a little more each time. Josh wrote in - Obscure reference for the conversation about photocopies of photocopies: the movie Multiplicity with Michael Keaton. The plot is how cloning a clone kept getting dumber and they used the metaphor of a photocopy of a photocopy. Adnan wrote in - You reminded me of Rick & Morty episode with the decoys making their own decoys who make their own decoys etc etc but they don’t know they’re decoys. One of my favorites.
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70			Dean: In water systems, one of the biggest issues is that many water companies are tiny, especially ones that serve small populations. There can be one or two people managing the whole thing and their focus is on producing and distributing clean water not cybersecurity. Another issue is funding. In a small municipality, your tax money will normally go first to infrastructure versus securing the SCADA or DCS system. Forcing a layer of regulation on top of this would be to burden an already struggling industry. Not saying there shouldn't be something done, but like everything, it's complicated. CISA does their best but they are also underfunded and under resourced. For example, the waiting list for their free cybersecurity audits can be in the order of years. One company that is trying to help is Dragos that's offered their Community Watch service for free to smaller utilities. But then there are grumblings of ulterior motives when this is done by a private company. But back to this specific case, I think these are "stunts" to spread fear and maybe part of hactivism. I think that real threats are the ones you're not hearing about where the APT are in the system and waiting to launch offensive operations when the time is right--look at the Ukraine power grid attacks of 2016, 2017, and recently. I think ransomware and drive by attacks are a distraction from the real threat.
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73	:28		Thanks to...	Today’s guest:
74		tm	Len Peralta	Len Peralta http://patreon.com/len http://lenperaltastore.com https://www.twitch.tv/lenperalta @LenPeralta @lenperalta@mstdn.party	patreon.com/len	lenperaltastore.com
75		sl	Nate Lanxon	Nate Lanxon https://www.bloomberg.com/originals/series/ai-irl https://www.uktechshow.com http://natelanxon.com https://www.bloomberg.com/authors/ASJngRAeTYw/nate-lanxon @natelanxon	https://www.bloomberg.com/authors/ASJngRAeTYw/nate-lanxon
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78			GUEST PLUG 15 SECONDS MAX
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85		tm	Patrons! Stick around for the extended show, Good Day Internet---It's Friday and we're going test everyone's knowledge of Meta with a Fun Quiz. Test and see if you're up to date on all of Meta's and Facebook's efforts.
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87		sl	You can also catch the show live M-F at 4:00 PM eastern/20-hundred UTC find out more at dailytechnewsshow.com/live. We'll be back Monday with:	Next guest:
88		sl	Justin Robert Young	Justin Robert Young https://justinrobertyoung.tv https://shows.acast.com/worlds-greatest-con https://shows.acast.com/were-not-wrong http://freepoliticalnewsletter.com @JustinRYoung
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94				Show Links: http://dailytechnewsshow.com/ntx http://knowalittlemore.com http://dtns.bigcartel.com http://www.dailytechnewsshow.com/support http://dtns.tv/wiki http://sarahlane.com https://twitter.com/sarahlane https://medium.com/@sarahlane https://masto.ai/@sarahlane https://havesuchagoodday.com http://tomsnewbook.com http://swordandlaser.com/store http://www.cordkillers.com http://awordpodcast.com
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97			GDI CONTENT - Quiz/game/content?	GDI Content:
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100		Intro	Meta has dabbled in many things. Can you remember everything they've done?
101		Question 1	What was Facebook's very first name?
102			Facemash. Zuckerberg built the website in 2003 while attending Harvard University. The site used "photos compiled from the online face books of nine Houses, placing two next to each other at a time and asking users to choose the 'hotter' person"
103		Question 2	What is the name of the company that Meta acqured in 2014 to get the Oculus?
104			Reality Labs.
105		Question 3	What is the name of Facebook's dating service and what year did it launch?
106			Facebook Dating and it launched Sept 5th 2019
107		Question 4	What is the name of feature that allows encrypted end to end communications on Facebook Messenger?
108			"Secret Conversations"
109		Question 5	Facebook at Work, an online collaborative software, was launched in October 2016 and subsequently renamed Workplace from Meta. What is the name of the free version that is available only too non-profits and education institutions?
110			Workplace for Good
111		Question 6	What is the name of Meta's Roblox-like VR game Platform?
112			Horizon Worlds
113		Question 7	Libra was the name of Meta's attempt at a stabecoin cryptocurrency. But what name was it changed to shortly before Meta pulled the plug? Bonus points for the name of Meta's digital wallet created to support it?
114			Diem. Digital wallet was called Novi
115		Question 8	What year did Facebook launch its live video streaming service, but ONLY for celebrities?
116			August 2015. The service was rolled out globablly to the general public on February 18, 2016.
117			End of Quiz
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123			END OF DTNS SHOW NOTES	--== END OF DTNS SHOW NOTES ==--
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125			Tell Audience to VOTE on TITLES
126			TITLES (we do Titles after GDI) - Maybe Quiz/game	Submitted
127		DTNS	Facebook is Not a Necessity!	NickwithaC_
128		GDI	Faceberg	LarryInAtlanta
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145			Friday: Read the list of Credits
146			ROTATING PROMOS
147			Know A Little More is Tom's podcast to do deep dives into individual topics. And it's coming back this Thursday better than ever. If you have not yet sampled the show, go get subscribed right now. The first episode in the relaunch is about RSS, its rocky history and how it ended up being the underpinning of podcasting. Don't miss it. Subscribe by Thursday at knowalittlemore.com	Subscribe to Know A Little More: http://knowalittlemore.com
148			We love to hear from our supporters. So if you have some time please fill out our lastest survey. Let us know what about DTNS is working for you and what isn't. Just visit https://dailytechnewsshow.com/survey/	Take the DTNS survey: https://dailytechnewsshow.com/survey
149			What do YOU want to hear us talk about on the show? One way to let us know is in our subreddit. Submit stories and vote on them at dailytechnewsshow.reddit.com	News from you: http://dailytechnewsshow.reddit.com
150			Join in the conversation in our Discord which you can join by linking to a Patreon account at patreon.com/dtns	Join the Discord: https://www.patreon.com/dtns
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153			If you want to stay up-to-date in the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence you need to listen to "A.I. Named This Show"! Each week Tristran Jutras (ju-tra) and Tasia Custode wade through the hype and the doomsaying to keep you informed about the latest news in the A.I. world. Catch it at "AI Named This Show" dot com!	Check out A.I. Named This Show: https://www.ainamedthisshow.com
154			Help us expand our listernership! Do you have ideas about guests from other podcasts/shows we should have on the show? Let us know! Check out our guest survey and put in your recommendations at dailytechnewsshow.com/survey/	dailytechnewsshow.com/survey/
155			Watch Tom'sTop Five. The show where I break down the top five things you need to know about technology. This week I count down the Top Five... XXXX . You can catch it at @dailytechnewsshow on TikTok, @dtnspix on Instagram and youtube at youtube dot com slash daily tech news show!	Check out Tom’s Top Five: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHN12N7TXUyeSz1XWNVjwDvdzpAycENQi
156			Thanks to everyone who became new Patrons and increased their pledges, because of your support we can bring Molly Wood on the show one Friday every other month. But to reach our goal of having Molly one Friday every month we need a bit MORE help! If you haven't already, consider supporting the show by visiting patreon.com slash D-T-N-S!"	Help Bring Molly Wood to the Show: https://www.patreon.com/dtns
157			Can't get enough Android in your life? Then listen to Android Faithful. Every week Android aficiandos Ron Richards, Huyen Tue Dao, Mishaal Rahman and Jason Howell bring you the latest Android news and information! You can watch it live, Tuesdays at 8PM Eastern / 5PM Pacific at youtube.com/dailytechnewsshow and subscribe to the feed at "androidfaithful-dot-com"!	Subscribe to Android Faithful: https://androidfaithful.com
158			All next week is DTNS Experiment week! We're swapping out our normal DTNS show and trying out some new ideas. In previous years we launched shows like BBQ tech show and The Tech Jawn. This year we have Nicole Lee with a show about online life, Roger interviewing people and personalities who made the TechTV network possible just to name a few. It all starts next week Monday Aug 14th on the DTNS feeds.
159			Apple has lots of power users and hipster users but what about the rest of us? Sarah Lane and Eileen Rivera premiere Apple Vision Show to talk about whther Apple's vision matches with what they want. Get subscribed now applevisionshow.com	Subscribe to Apple Vision Show: https://applevisionshow.com
160			Want a recap of the week’s tech headlines with insights into how technology affects and disaffects communities of color? Then check out The Tech Jawn where hosts Robb Dunewood, Stephanie Humphrey, and Terrance Gaines dive into the top tech stories of the week delivered from points of view you don’t always hear in mainstream media. New episodes land Tuesday afternoons. Find it wherever you get your podcasts. Or visit the tech j-a-w-n dot com.	Subscribe to The Tech Jawn: https://thetechjawn.com
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