Join us Sept. 14-16 in Miami to connect with top publishing leaders
I lost my keys. Got new copies of them. Then found the old set. Awesome. Here are some links for you to check out if you feel like it.
I very recently booked accommodations using Airbnb for the first time. I was kind of nervous about it, but the private bedroom in a historic house looks good enough for two nights in Rhode Island and it’s cheaper than staying in a hotel. But anyway, CouchSurfing, Airbnb’s predecessor, is no longer non-profit and has since raised $22 million in venture capital. But unlike Airbnb, which is a rental service, CouchSurfing is about creating a sense of community and helping people connect with locals. That is why the service is still essentially free – and why you shouldn’t expect super-swanky quarters. (Wired)
Who doesn’t love a bright and shiny infographic? Here is one on the presidential candidates’ social media usage. Obama has way, way more Twitter followers than Romney. Just saying. (Ad Age)
Is it possible to make “non-creepy” personalized technology? It seems unlikely that developers will ever be able to completely get around the natural human paranoia about technological advancement. You know, science going too far, machines taking over, etc., etc. (Slate)
Fortune writer Jessi Hempel says we don’t need more tools to help us digest more information and be more connected; instead, we need tools to help us unplug and avoid information overload. (Fortune)
And because it’s Friday in August — why aren’t you on vacation? — watch this video of a bulldog puppy making cute and weird sounds. (Buzzfeed)
More in Media
An anatomy of the creator brand trip’s midlife crisis
The brand trip as we know it may be dead, but a newer, more genuine and engaging format is rising from its ashes.
European publishers are getting hit harder by AI bot scraping, report finds
European publishers face more AI bot scraping, fewer referrals and more ignored robots.txt rules than North American sites, report finds.
Walmart-backed gaming publication lays off editorial team
Brandy Berthelson — who had been Restart’s editor-in-chief — said on Bluesky last Friday that the “entire editorial team” at Restart was laid off.