News of the Cyber World

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Chicago Teens Attack Tesla During ‘Street Takeover’ While Police Watch

A disturbing video circulating on social media shows a group of young Chicagoans attacking a Tesla while police watch nearby during a weekend “street takeover.”

The clip, which has garnered more than 20 million views on X as of Monday, captured a group of presumed teenagers punching and kicking the vehicle, which appeared to be trapped in an “out-of-control street takeover,” reported the New York Post.

The video shows the unruly teens posing on top of the white Tesla while flashing hand signs to the camera. The driver then lurches forward, sending the group off of the hood of the car and into a fury. They respond by beating the body of the car with their fists and feet.

The camera then pans to show other members of the large group committing dangerous drifting stunts in other cars off to the side, burning their tires on the pavement in the middle of traffic.

The scene that the camera pans back to is utter chaos. Screams can be heard as the electric vehicle attempts to escape the crowd, sending teens running and some to the ground. The cameraperson follows as members of the group run after the driver, who can be seen recording through the window.

Joe Biden’s Campaign Launches Account on Donald Trump’s Truth Social

President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign has joined former President Donald Trump’s Truth Social under the handle “BidenHQ,” where the account welcomes political “converts” as Biden’s vulnerability heading into 2024 becomes increasingly apparent.

“Truth Social was created to avoid the stifling censorship of Big Tech,” Truth Social said in an exclusive statement to Breitbart News. “All perspectives are welcome on our global platform, and we’re happy to have the Biden Campaign here.”

Fox News’s Brook Singman was the first to report on the Biden campaign’s presence on the platform and its handle, noting at publication the campaign was set to post on the account at some point Monday.

For its avatar, Biden’s team is embracing the “Dark Brandon” meme, which, of course, is a reference to “Let’s go, Brandon,” a more tactful synonym for the “F*** Joe Biden” chants that swept the nation in the Fall of 2021.

“There’s very little ‘truth’ happening on TruthSocial, but at least now it’ll be a little fun,” a senior Biden campaign aide snarked to Fox News Digital.

Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung contended that “Crooked Joe Biden and his team are finally acknowledging that Truth Social is hot as a pistol and the only place where real news happens.”

Comrade Mickey: Disney Inks Big Deal with China’s TikTok

China-owned TikTok has landed a huge deal with Disney, which will serve as the publishing partner for the video platform’s premium ad product.

TikTok will reportedly offer Disney a place within the Chinese app where Disney fans can watch videos from Disney’s brands, create their own with Disney’s music and special effects, play Disney-themed trivia games, and collect “Character Cards” of their favorite players, according to a report by Tech Crunch. The Walt Disney Company celebrated its 100th anniversary, in part, by declaring its decision to begin working with the Chinese app.

The Chinese app said this new content hub is a “first-of-its-kind,” and suggested its deal with Disney goes beyond TikTok’s “Premiere Pulse” program, as it includes special accommodations for Disney.

Meanwhile, The Walt Disney Company celebrated its 100th anniversary, in part, by declaring its decision to begin working with the Chinese app.

“TikTok has become a go-to destination for Disney fans to create, engage, and connect around their favorite Disney films, shows characters and experiences, so we’re thrilled to partner with them as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the company,” Asad Ayaz, chief brand officer of The Walt Disney Company, said.

Disney’s involvement on TikTok will reportedly be “extensive,” including 48 Disney accounts that will participate in a four-week period across 24 regions around the world, starting Monday. The Disney-run TikTok accounts will publish content involving Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, ESPN, National Geographic, and Disney Parks, among others.

Media Research Center’s Censortrack Database Documents 6,000+ Online Censorship Cases

Cases of censorship range across platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, Google, and YouTube.

In one recent example, an Instagram video from the Atlas Society, a libertarian nonprofit, was censored as “false information” for criticizing the Biden administration’s border policies. In another case, Instagram fact-checkers censored a comedian and political commentator for a post linking Biden policies to soaring inflation.

The database includes a number of cases from Twitter prior to the acquisition of the company by Elon Musk...

Examples from Google and Google-owned YouTube include the censorship of Jordan Peterson videos, and Google’s decision to ban ads from Live Action, a pro-life organization.

Microsoft-owned platforms did not escape scrutiny. The tech giant is a major force behind OpenAI’s ChatGPT, as well as a former partner of the Global Disinformation Index (GDI) and of NewsGuard, two organizations that curate blacklists of media organizations. As documented by Censortrack, the tech company also engages in censorship, with Microsoft-owned LinkedIn banning Gregory Wrightstone, a geologist, for posting data undermining the official narrative on climate change.

The database showcases the wide range of prominent figures who have been censored by big tech platforms, including elected officials Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and former speaker of the house Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, news organizations including the New York Post and The Federalist, as well as Donald Trump Jr., James Woods, Candace Owens, Dana Loesch, and Sebastian Gorka.

Google Antitrust Trial: Media Outlets Push for Increased Transparency as Veil of Secrecy Continues

The New York Post reports that major media outlets have come forward, demanding enhanced transparency in the landmark antitrust trial against tech behemoth Google. The trial, already in its sixth week, has been the center of criticism due to the opaque nature of its proceedings, with much of the evidence and key testimonies being kept away from public view.
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The New York Times filed a motion on Monday, urging Judge Amit Mehta to increase transparency in what they consider as “arguably the most important antitrust trial in decades, with far-reaching consequences for the future of the tech industry.”

“Though the Court has taken steps to make the trial more open, in several respects the degree of public access still falls short of what the law requires,” a motion filed by the media outlets stated. They argue that the current level of secrecy hinders the public’s right to have complete and consistent access to crucial trial exhibits and testimonies.

Google, on the other hand, has defended the need for a closed-door approach, stating that such secrecy is essential to safeguard sensitive company information, especially those pertaining to its online search business practices.

Mehta ordered the release of largely unredacted transcripts of remarks made by DuckDuckGO CEO Gabriel Weinberg and Apple AI boss John Giannandrea on the stand, in an attempt to address public concerns. However, more access is still being sought by observers.

The Times has filed a motion requesting the unsealing of complete testimony from Apple executive Eddy Cue and Google executive Jerry Dischler, citing a lack of justification for the redactions.

Colorado Supreme Court Approves Controversial Use of Google Search Data in Murder Trial

Bloomberg reports that in a decision that could reshape legal boundaries, the Colorado Supreme Court has ruled in favor of using Google search data as evidence in a murder case. The case revolves around a tragic fire that claimed five lives, with a teenager, Gavin Seymour, among the accused. Authorities turned to technology giant Google, employing a “keyword search warrant” to unveil potential suspects by identifying who had searched for the house’s address that later went up in flames. Seymour became a suspect based on the search information that Google returned.

“Our finding of good faith today neither condones nor condemns all such warrants in the future,” the court articulated, emphasizing the specificity of their ruling to the case at hand. “If dystopian problems emerge, as some fear, the courts stand ready to hear argument regarding how we should rein in law enforcement’s use of rapidly advancing technology.” This nuanced approach underscores the court’s cautious navigation through uncharted legal waters, balancing technological advancements with foundational legal principles.

Seymour’s defense team contested the legality of the keyword search warrant, challenging its constitutional validity. “Instead, the process operates in reverse — search everyone first, and identify suspects later,” the defense team argued, spotlighting the profound departure of this method from traditional legal procedures.
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“Police departments across the country have been knocking at Google’s door for at least the last two years with warrants to tap into the company’s extensive stores of cellphone location data,” reported Slate last month. “Known as ‘reverse location search warrants,’ these legal mandates allow law enforcement to sweep up the coordinates and movements of every cellphone in a broad area.”