TWEAKS AND UPDATES

The Register: Google Groups kills RSS support without notice. “Google has either turned off RSS support in Google Groups without telling anyone, or has failed to notice that RSS in Groups no longer functions. RSS, which stands for either RDF Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication, is an open content syndication protocol. It allows people to subscribe to feeds from websites and receive syndicated content from them through an app capable of reading XML-based data.”

Engadget: Google Maps will show you the nearest available Spin e-bike or scooter. “Starting today, Google Maps users will be able to find the closest available Spin electric bike or scooter in real-time. The app will also show how long it will take to walk to the vehicle in question, its battery range and when you can expect to arrive at your destination when riding it.”

USEFUL STUFF

Lifehacker: How to Use Your Browser’s ‘Reader Mode’ to Actually Read What You Click. “Most of the time, you’re probably skimming the web instead of actually reading it. And that’s okay for quick news updates and browsing social media. But when you’ve opened up a long article that you actually want to read, things start to get difficult.”

Wired: How to Nab Deals With Your Student Email Address. “COLLEGE ISN’T CHEAP, and we’re not just talking about tuition. Between the cost of books, living expenses, food, and going out, your budget is probably pretty tight. Good news, though: All you need is your school-provided .edu email address to take advantage of plenty of sweet student discounts. We hunted down the best deals and discounts for students. Use all that extra cash to treat yourself to something nice, like beer.”

AROUND THE SEARCH AND SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD

TechCrunch: Twitter’s web redesign isn’t as accessible as it should be, experts say. “After teasing its new font in January, Twitter made some major changes to its website and app design this week. But while Twitter framed these updates as making the platform ‘more accessible,’ some accessibility experts say that these changes missed the mark.”

Mashable: Alabama rush TikToks are huge, but they also remind us of sororities’ racist, elitist culture. “Yes, the pomp and circumstance of Alabama’s rush process is undeniably fun. And after almost 18 months of cancelled events (including rush at Alabama last year, which was entirely virtual), it’s thrilling to see college students get dressed up to have some innocent fun while participating in school traditions. But TikTok’s obsession with Alabama’s sorority recruitment has paved the way for the next trend: explainer videos on the racist and elitist history of Alabama’s Greek life.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

CNN: T-Mobile confirms it was hit by data breach. “T-Mobile (TMUS) confirmed on Monday that it has been hit by a data breach but declined to say whether any personal information from customers was accessed or how widespread the damage may be.” T-Mobile has been a privacy tire fire for years.

Ars Technica: Hacker is returning $600M in crypto, claiming theft was just “for fun”. “The hacker who breached the Poly Network crypto platform says the theft was just ‘for fun :)’ and that the hacker is now returning the stolen coins. The hacker also claimed that the tokens had been transferred to the hacker’s own wallets to ‘keep it safe.'”

RESEARCH & OPINION

Applied Sciences: Copyright Protection of 3D Digitized Artistic Sculptures by Adding Unique Local Inconspicuous Errors by Sculptors. “In recent years, digitization of cultural heritage objects, for the purpose of creating virtual museums, is becoming increasingly popular. Moreover, cultural institutions use modern digitization methods to create three-dimensional (3D) models of objects of historical significance to form digital libraries and archives. This research aims to suggest a method for protecting these 3D models from abuse while making them available on the Internet.”

CNET: Music streaming service uses AI to make up music on the spot. “Streaming service AiMi wants to take on Spotify and Apple Music with an entirely AI-generated music subscription for 10 dollars a month. The new AiMi Plus will combine artist-submitted samples with AI music for extended, seamless mixes based on a series of moods.” Good evening, Internet…

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