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Here's the latest tech news from the last 24 hours:

🚫 NYC bans TikTok from government devices
💿 Netflix's DVD service has a special farewell gift
📦 Amazon imposes fees on self-shipping sellers
📰 AP sets new AI guidelines for newsrooms
🔬 Scientists are leaving X

🚫 NYC bans TikTok from government devicesLINK

New York City is banning TikTok from government devices within 30 days, with immediate prohibition on downloading and usage by employees.

The NYC Cyber Command cited TikTok as a security threat to the city's technical networks, prompting the decision.

While some states have broadly banned TikTok, most have restricted its use on government-owned tech, amid ongoing debates about the app's security risks.

💿 Netflix's DVD service has a special farewell giftLINK

Netflix is giving its DVD by mail subscribers a surprise gift of up to 10 extra discs before ending the 25-year-old service.

The additional discs will be chosen based on users' film queues, and they need to opt in by clicking a link in an email by August 29th.

Although subscribers will receive extra DVDs, they are expected to return them along with other discs by October 27th, 2023, as the service concludes.

📦 Amazon imposes fees on self-shipping sellersLINK

Starting from October 1st, third-party merchants on Amazon who ship their own packages will be required to pay a 2% fee per product sold.

This new fee is in addition to other charges Amazon already receives from merchants, including selling plan costs and referral fees based on product categories.

The fee comes as Amazon's marketplace is under scrutiny, with the FTC planning to file an antitrust lawsuit over allegations that Amazon rewards third-party merchants using its logistics services while penalizing those fulfilling their own orders.

📰 AP sets new AI guidelines for newsroomsLINK

The Associated Press has established standards for the use of generative AI in its newsroom, emphasizing that AI is not a replacement for human journalists and cautioning against creating publishable content with AI-generated text or images.

AP journalists are directed to treat AI-generated content as "unvetted source material" and apply editorial judgment and sourcing standards before considering it for publication.

The organization warns about the potential for AI to spread misinformation and advises its journalists to exercise caution, skepticism, and verify sources when dealing with AI-generated content.

🔬 Scientists are leaving XLINK

A significant portion of scientific researchers using Twitter have reduced their usage or left the platform altogether, with over 47% decreasing usage and nearly 7% quitting, according to a survey by Nature.

About 47% of polled researchers have turned to alternative platforms, with Mastodon being the most popular, followed by LinkedIn and Instagram.

The change in researcher behavior on Twitter is attributed to the platform's evolving dynamics, increased content prioritization, and limited accessibility of its API for researchers.

Other news you might like

A self-driving car from Cruise got stuck in wet cement in San Francisco, highlighting challenges and hiccups in autonomous driving technology.LINK

Lamborghini will reveal a concept of its first fully electric supercar at Monterey Car Week, promising design continuity and high performance.LINK

OpenAI has acquired digital products company Global Illumination, marking its first known acquisition and aiming to enhance core products including ChatGPT.LINK

Tile and parent company Life360 face a class-action lawsuit, accused of inadequate safety features and enabling stalking via their products.LINK

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