ICYMI: The Privacy Problem

I really don’t want cell service to come to the subway stations here in New York. My daily commute is meant to tune out everyone and everything, though it’s getting increasingly more difficult as my fellow subway riders have decided I need to hear what music they’re listening to. Please, MTA, save the money and put it toward something more useful like, I don’t know, cleaning the stations. Here are some links you might want to check out, in case you missed them.

It’s sad how reliant we are on our devices. Just because this poor guy got hacked doesn’t mean we shouldn’t continue doing the stuff we’ve been doing, but it’s a good cautionary tale of why it’s important to be wary of privacy policies. In this case, there’s more to it than just changing your passwords frequently. (via Wired)

Here’s a story about how being naive can actually be to your advantage — well, to some extent. Go ahead, launch the next big idea. As Matt Mickiewicz points out, this is not going to come from a Fortune 500 company; it’s going to come from someone like you — or hopefully, me — someone who has big ambitions and innovation on the brain. (via Fast Company)

Lucky Magazine announced it’ll soon direct readers to purchase what’s seen in the magazine straight from the Web. Are brick and mortar stores on their way out? (via The New York Times)

Not being on Facebook makes you suspicious to potential employers and dates. Mom and Dad, get to it. (via Daily Mail)

Buying an Apple gadget? Beware of the Smurfberries. Or just don’t give your kid your iPad. (via The Huffington Post)

More in Media

The Rundown: Google has drawn its AI payment lines — and publishers’ leverage is narrow

For publishers trying to navigate AI licensing, the message was blunt: Google is willing to pay for access, but not for training – and it remains unwilling to define AI Overviews as a compensable use of journalism.

search referral traffic for publishers

Media Briefing: Google’s latest core update a reminder that pageviews can’t remain the primary metric

Google’s latest core update signals pageviews can no longer be the primary metric, favoring intent-solving publishers over scale.

After an oversaturation of AI-generated content, creators’ authenticity and ‘messiness’ are in high demand

Content creators and brand marketing specialists on how 2026 will be the year creator authenticity becomes even more crucial in the face of rampant AI-generated “slop” flooding social media platforms.