Facebook accidentally lost a piece of its moderation policy for three years

A demonstration in Rome in support of freeing Kurdish political leader Abdullah Ocalan. | Photo by Matteo Nardone / Pacific Press / LightRocket / Getty Images

Instagram accidentally banned a post criticizing solitary confinement because Facebook had misplaced the policy allowing it, according to a new Facebook Oversight Board (FOB) decision.

The semi-independent Oversight Board says the Facebook-owned site should not have removed a post about Abdullah Öcalan, a founding member of the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Facebook designates Öcalan and the PKK “dangerous entities” that users cannot support on its platforms. In January, moderators applied that policy to a message criticizing Öcalan’s imprisonment and solitary confinement — a practice the United Nations has deemed a form of torture — in a Turkish prison.

“The Board is concerned that specific guidance for moderators ... was...

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Bentley reveals details about its Flying Spur Hybrid, the ‘most efficient Bentley ever’

Bentley’s Flying Spur Hybrid. | Image: Bentley

Luxury carmaker Bentley has announced details about its Flying Spur Hybrid sedan, its second Bentley hybrid, which the company claims is the “most efficient Bentley ever.” Using just the electric motor, Bentley says you’ll be able to drive for more than 40 kilometers (or just under 25 miles), and the company says the car offers a “total driving range” of more than 700 kilometers (just under 435 miles).

The Flying Spur Hybrid will be able to accelerate from 0 to 60mph in 4.1 seconds, according to Bentley. That’s slower than what Tesla claims for the Model S Plaid, which it says can go from 0-60 in 1.99 seconds, but that’s a feat that’s only feasible under very specific conditions.

Bentley also says the car delivers a total of 536...

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Microsoft is giving employees a $1,500 pandemic bonus

Photo by Sam Byford / The Verge

Microsoft is gifting its employees a $1,500 pandemic bonus. In an internal memo seen by The Verge, the software giant says this one-time bonus “is in recognition of the unique and challenging fiscal year that Microsoft just completed.”

Microsoft’s chief people officer, Kathleen Hogan, announced the gift to employees today, and it will apply to all eligible employees in both the US and internationally. Microsoft is gifting this bonus to all staff below corporate vice president level that started on or before March 31st, 2021, including part-time workers and those on hourly rates.

Microsoft has 175,508 employees worldwide, but LinkedIn, GitHub, and ZeniMax employees are not eligible for the bonus, despite Microsoft owning these three...

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FDA clears Natural Cycles birth control to use a smart ring for temperature measurements

Image: Natural Cycles

Digital birth control Natural Cycles can now use temperature data fromdevices like the Oura smart ring to make predictions on when someone could become pregnant. The company said today it got clearance from the Food and Drug Administration to give users the option of taking their temperature through a device with a temperature sensor, rather than taking it manually with a thermometer.

The sign-off makes Natural Cycles the “world’s first wearable birth control,” the company said in a statement. The feature is currently only available in a private beta program.

Natural Cycles prevents pregnancy through an algorithm that uses daily temperature measurements and period cycle tracking to give users information about the days of the month...

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The COVID-19 vaccines weren’t hacked — this task force is one reason why

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Securing the supply chain meant focusing on tiny companies

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Marvel’s What If…? gets a new trailer and an August 11th release date

Marvel’s What If...?is an animated series that promises to showcase alternate takes on the dozens of characters that make up the interconnected universe of movies and shows in the MCU. And now, thanks to a new trailer, we’ve got our best look yet at the upcoming show, which is set to debut on Disney Plus on August 11th.

As the name implies, What If...? will showcase different versions of the MCU and answer questions like, “What if Peggy Carter was chosen to get the Super Soldier Serum instead of Steve Rogers?” or “What if Yondu kidnapped T’Challa instead of Peter Quill when he came to Earth?” Unlike the other Disney Plus Marvel shows, which are live-action, What If...? also marks the first animated property in the MCU — a factor that...

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Why did the Teletubbies forge their vaccination cards?

Photo by Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images

Look, the question isn’t whether the vaccine cards the Teletubbies display in a tweet from Teletubbies HQ are forged. All you have to do is look at the date of the second vaccine: July 22nd, 2021 — that is, two weeks in the future. The question is what they hope to accomplish.

We’re all vaxxed! Just in time for a Tubby hot summer ☀️ Who's ready to come out & play pic.twitter.com/AtXTExaCMs

— Teletubbies (@TeletubbiesHQ) July 7, 2021

There’s more. Check out the dates of birth listed for the Teletubbies: all in 2003. The Teletubbies premiered on BBC2 in 1997. Famously, in 1999, Jerry Falwell condemned Tinky Winky for being gay. The original run _ended_in 2001. The Teletubbies are old enough to drink! A birthdate of 2003? Who the fuck do...

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Encanto’s first trailer promises a magical, musical Disney adventure

The first trailer for Encanto_,_the latest animated film from Walt Disney Animation Studios, is full of magic. The upcoming movie is set in a magical village in Colombia, and it focuses on the Madrigal family who each possess their own gifts, like shapeshifting, plant growth, or super-strength. Even the house is enchanted, dancing along to the beat of everyday life.

Well, everyone except for Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz), that is, who, alone in her family, doesn’t have any special powers. Drama, presumably, ensues, although the first teaser isn’t too forthcoming as to what the actual story here is.

The film does look spectacular, though, with the Madrigal’s house, in particular, stealing the show with its vibrant colors and...

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The NFL jumps to Twitter Spaces after initial Clubhouse partnership

Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling via Getty Images

The National Football League is signing on to use Twitter Spaces. As part of a new deal with Twitter — which will see the social network continue to run game highlight videos — the NFL has agreed to host 20 live audio rooms throughout the 2021 season. Those will include “current NFL players and other NFL talent” as hosts discussing the season’s matchups.

Twitter’s partnership with the NFL would appear to be a blow to Clubhouse, which previously partnered with the league to host live audio rooms during the draft in April. It was Clubhouse’s first official sports league programming — and now the NFL has jumped to Twitter and signed on to be Twitter’s first sports partner. A Clubhouse spokesperson said the company has an “ongoing...

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Vilo’s three-router mesh Wi-Fi system covers your home for just $59

A single Vilo router costs $19. | Image: Vilo

Vilo is a new mesh Wi-Fi company that promises a three-device system that covers up to 4,500 square feet for just $59. That’s much more affordable than the mesh Wi-Fi systems offered by more established brands like Eero, whose comparable system costs $199 for a three-pack. Vilo is also selling a single standalone router for $19, compared to $79 with Eero.

As you might expect, Vilo’s affordable pricing means you’re not getting top-of-the-line specs. There’s no Wi-Fi 6 here, so it’s not ready for the next-generation standard, and it’s also dual-band rather than tri-band, meaning it lacks the extra 5GHz band that other systems use to provide better communication between their routers and satellites. Each base station has three...

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Twitter will comply with India’s new rules to keep its legal immunity

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Twitter has outlined how it intends to “fully comply” with India’s new social media rules after the government said its lack of compliance meant it could be held legally liable for its user’s posts, _Bloomberg_reports. In response to the government’s filing, a lawyer for the company said it has already appointed an interim chief compliance officer and that it would soon have a grievance officer and an employee to respond to law enforcement requests, Reuters notes. Twitter is required to fill each of the roles under new regulations introduced this year. The company also said it would be setting up an India liaison office in the next eight weeks.

Had Twitter not pledged to comply with the rules, it faced being made legally liable for users’...

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The best laptop you can buy in 2021

Image: William Joel/The Verge

The best laptops for you, from ultraportables to high-powered editing machines

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Volkswagen, BMW fined $1 billion for colluding to make dirtier cars

Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler spent years illegally colluding to slow the deployment of cleaner emissions technology, says the European Union, which is dishing out fines as a result.

The EU’s executive branch hit the Volkswagen Group (which owns Audi and Porsche) and BMW with a collective €875 million ($1 billion) fine on Thursday for their role in the scheme. Volkswagen Group must pay €502 million ($595 million), while BMW will pay €373 million ($442 million). Daimler, however, evaded a €727 million fine of its own because the automaker revealed the collusion to the regulators.

The scheme described by EU authorities is separate from the Volkswagen Group’s massive Dieselgate scandal, in which...

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Hori’s Split Pad Pro for the Switch is $10 off at Amazon

The deals are thin today, but there are a few that are worth sharing with you. If you already have a Switch or are planning to get the OLED model launching in October, you’ll definitely want to get Hori’s Split Pad Pro controllers. You can get them in the translucent black colorway (in my opinion, the best option available) for $40 at Amazon, which is $10 off their normal price. These slide in just like Joy-Con controllers but are more accommodating for larger hands than Nintendo’s. They make the Switch less portable, but it might be worth it for you. Unlike Joy-Con, though, these don’t feature rumble, and they only work while connected to the Switch.

If you need more convincing, check out my colleague Sam Byford’s hands-on with the...

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PodcastOne’s ‘free’ podcast hosting service will cost you

PodcastOne

PodcastOne, the podcast network behind shows from people like Mike Tyson and Tom Green, is looking to make more money off shows outside its network. The company is expanding and rebranding its free hosting service, now known as Launchpad One, with more perks to make it appeal to indie podcasters.

The free hosting platform allows podcasters to not only host their show, but also accept PayPal donations (a new feature), distribute the show across platforms, and insert their own ads. PodCastOne says it’ll also market shows that use its platform across its own network, a benefit that many hosting services don’t or can’t offer. It says 1,000 shows are already on the service, which was previously known as LaunchpadDM.

At the same time, there’s...

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LiveWire One is Harley-Davidson’s second chance at electric motorcycle dominance

Harley-Davidson is renewing its push into electric motorcycles with the reveal of its latest battery-powered product, the LiveWire One. While the new bike will roughly have the same specs as the company’s first LiveWire motorcycle, it will be more attractively priced in the hopes of attracting more customers.

The LiveWire One will start at $21,999, without factoring in any federal, state, or local tax benefits. (Any electric motorcycle that can go at least 45mph is eligible for a 10 percent federal tax credit, up to $2,500.) When you take into account these credits, Harley-Davidson said the price will actually fall below $20,000 for most customers.

Harley-Davidson said the price will actually fall below $20,000 for most customers

To...

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How to start posting videos on TikTok

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Okay, this article is for those who have never posted a video on TikTok. The rest of you? Stop snickering, and go away.

Are we alone? Okay, here we go. To begin, there are actually more TikTok newbies than you’d think. But the service is definitely worth exploring: TikTok is a really fun (and sometimes even educational) app. And after you’ve swiped through a bunch of videos — some great, some really funny, and some that you wish you’d never seen — you may want to try your hand at creating your own.

TikTok has its own culture: straightforward, brash, sometimes (actually often) pushing past the bounds of what many would consider good taste. That’s why it’s so creative. But while you can be as wild as you want (within certain boundaries, of...

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‘Huge leap’ for NASA’s Mars helicopter ushers new mission support role

A frame from Ingenuity’s navigation camera during its ninth flight over Mars’ Séítah region. | Image: NASA / JPL

The Séítah region on Mars, filled with rocks and sand dunes, was too treacherous for NASA’s Perseverance rover to drive across. So Ingenuity, the tiny helicopter accompanying the rover, flew over the area on Monday and snapped some photos of a key spot on the other side. In less than three minutes, Ingenuity spared Perseverance the months it would have had to spend driving to take its own photos.

The quick Monday morning jump across Séítah was Ingenuity’s ninth flight on Mars so far, but it marked the first time the chopper lent a helping hand to Perseverance in its hunt for ancient signs of life at the Red Planet’s Jezero Crater. The four-pound helicopter arrived on Mars on February 14th, attached to Perseverance’s underside, and became...

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The UK is considering legal protections for animals’ feelings — so what do animals ‘feel’?

A mink with kits in a cage at a fur farm in Pelagiada, Russia. | Photo by Ruslan Shamukov / TASS / Getty Images

Animals with spines in the UK could soon be legally recognized as “sentient” beings with feelings if a bill being debated in Parliament moves forward. Should the bill become law, it could get lawmakers to consider animals’ feelings, like pain or even joy, when crafting any new policy. The bill is part of a larger push by the government to set high standards for animal welfare in the country.

Are animals used for food or fur bored in their pens?

That raises a lot of questions for humans. Are animals used for food or fur bored in their pens, for instance? And what do you do with an individual who might react differently to a situation than its peers, based on its unique personality?

If passed, the bill would create an “Animal Sentience...

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iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 preview: a first look at Apple’s latest software

Hands-on with the public betas

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Jeep says it will have ‘zero-emission’ SUVs in every category by 2025

Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Jeep says it will have “zero-emission” SUVs in every category of its lineup by 2025, the automaker announced Thursday. That same year, the company also plans to offer 4xe plug-in hybrid versions of all of its vehicles. The news came as part of an electrification strategy event by Jeep’s parent company, Stellantis.

That means there will be electric versions of the Wrangler, Cherokee, and Wagoneer, in addition to Jeep’s other models, by 2025. Jeep also unveiled a plug-in hybrid version of its luxury Grand Cherokee SUV during the event.

Now Jeep, which is touting its 4XE plug in hybrid technology.

By 2025, Jeep will offer “zero emission” models in every segment. pic.twitter.com/YaZ8LBP3PB

— Andrew J. Hawkins (@andyjayhawk) July 8,...

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Netflix’s new Resident Evil show brings zombies to the White House

Photo: Netflix

Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness is a show that’s made for people who love lore. The most recent games in the series, Resident Evil 7 and Village, have largely gotten away from the story of Racoon City and more typical zombie tropes, instead focusing on more standalone horror stories that are starting to resemble an anthology of sorts. But there’s still a place where the Umbrella Corporation and Racoon City loom large: tie-in movies and TV shows. Infinite Darkness is the latest, a four-episode series on Netflix that really leans into the political intrigue behind the zombie outbreak. There are some fun moments, like when undead monsters infiltrate the White House, but the show is mostly interesting as a supplement to the games.

Infinite...

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Dodge will make an electric muscle car in 2024

Dodge announced it would make an all-electric muscle car in 2024. The news came as part of an event Thursday covering electric vehicle strategy by the automaker’s parent company, Stellantis.

The announcement about the electric muscle car was a little muddled as it came a few minutes after Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis proclaimed forcefully that Dodge would not “sell electric cars — it will sell eMuscle,” which is apparently Dodge branding for its future EVs (we assume, it was a little unclear).

“If a charger can make a Charger faster, then we’re all for it,” Kuniskis said, touting the company’s commitment to tire-squealing horsepower and performance.

AWD EV “eMuscle” from @Dodgepic.twitter.com/O8UkGP49Ei

— Josh Welton (@BrownDogWelding) J...

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Does Amazon even know what it’s buying with the MGM acquisition?

Photo Illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

When Amazon announced its plans to acquire MGM in May, the primary focus of discussion was what Amazon planned to do with the studio’s intellectual property. Spin-offs and reboots were one possibility cited by the company at the time. Who, it’s now worth wondering, will shepherd Amazon’s creative vision for the legacy movie-maker?

A new profile published this week in the New York Times on the creative brain trust behind the MGM brand offers a few clues about how the acquisition may look moving forward. Namely, it profiled Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, two of MGM’s top brass who have tasked themselves with reinvigorating the MGM brand. Key to their strategy, as De Luca described it to the Times, is “treating the filmmakers like the...

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Maingear Element Lite review: the competition is too good

Intel’s cookie-cutter laptop is behind the competition while costing more

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Google Meet adds Duo-style filters, AR masks, and effects

Image: Google

Google Meet is getting new video filters, effects, and augmented reality masks for personal calls on iOS and Android, the search giant has announced. They’re available via the sparkle icon at the bottom right of your video feed during a call, which brings up a carousel of different effects that include color filters and animated AR face effects. Most of the options are only available for personal Gmail accounts, while Workspace users have to keep things more professional with a limited selection of blurring and virtual background options.

The new video effects are the latest example of Meet’s shift from targeting enterprise and business users, to targeting consumers more generally after Google released Meet free to personal Google...

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DJI’s Pocket 2 4K vlogger cam now comes in white

DJI’s Pocket 2, now in white. | Image: DJI

DJI’s latest handheld stabilized vlogging camera, the Pocket 2, is now available in white. The camera released last year only in black features a larger sensor and double the amount of microphones as its predecessor, the DJI Osmo Pocket. The new colorway follows a number of software updates DJI has made to the camera since its original release, with benefits including enhanced autofocus, support for HDR video, and better subject tracking.

The white Pocket 2 is available to buy now from DJI’s online store, where it’s currently listed at $439 as part of a bundle that includes a mini control stick, cover, handle, smartphone adaptors, power cable, wrist strap, and a sling strap. And yes, everything barring the power cable also comes in...

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Google feared Samsung Galaxy Store and tried to quash it, lawsuit alleges

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Google used anticompetitive practices in an attempt to “preemptively quash” Samsung’s Galaxy Store, and prevent it from becoming a viable competitor to its own Play Store. That’s according to an antitrust lawsuit filed by a coalition of three dozen state attorney general, which accuses Google of illegally attempting to control app distribution on Android. The suit also alleges Google paid off app developers to stop them circumventing its store.

The allegations challenge one of Google’s core defenses of its policies, which is that unlike Apple’s iOS rules, Android allows both competing app stores and side-loading apps directly. The lawsuit is effectively claiming that this openness is a facade, because while customers technically have the...

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OnePlus admits to throttling popular apps to save battery life

Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge

OnePlus has confirmed that it deliberately reduces performance in “many of the most popular apps” in order to improve battery life on its latest OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro phones. The issue arose following testing by Anandtech’s Andrei Frumusanu, who called the situation “rather baffling” after discovering slowdown in a wide range of prominent apps from Google’s Play Store.

Anandtech’s conclusion is that OnePlus is “blacklisting popular applications away from its fastest cores, causing slowdown in typical workloads such as web browsing.” The site tested Chrome and Twitter performance extensively, but concluded that the slowdown “applies to pretty much everything that has any level of popularity in the Play Store.” That’s said to cover all...

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This inexpensive backlight makes your big TV even more immersive

Incredible value for money

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