OVERWORLD:
-Dating apps are abusing the shit out of your data-

ONE BETWEEN:
-The TikTok ban, very quickly explained-

THE DEPTHS:
-How the M16 assault rifle went from zero to hero-

“If your heart was as big as your mouth you'd be real.”
— DMX

✦DISCOVERY PICKS✦

▶️ YouTube:
I became a dad at 15

👽 Reddit:
Woman randomly catches dog falling from roof.

✖️ X:
Watched “Casablanca” again last night and realized I have the attention span of a goldfish and it’s ruining my ability to enjoy older films.

❓
Random 

Tech

Dating apps are abusing the shit out of your data.

Sure, Meta knows a lot about you; where went to school, who your friends are, your cat-video swiping habits, whatever - nothing new.

But dating apps... these motherfuckers know you like a spouse.

It’s creepy:

For advertisers, this information is diamond-value. So they'll pay a good buck for it - and they are.

Recently, Mozilla Foundation's *Privacy Not Included dropped a report revealing that 22 out of 25 popular dating apps are mishandling user data.

In fact, about 80% of these apps might share or sell this accumulated data to advertisers without explicit user consent.

Now, Grindr is getting sued in London for allegedly selling data on HIV statuses, test dates, and sexual orientation to ad-tech companies without consent.

A 2022 WSJ report revealed that Grindr sold its user’s precise location data for several years. And it's costing them, in 2021 Grindr paid $6 million to Norway for violating the EU's GDPR policy.

It's especially devious because apps such as OkCupid and Tinder constantly pester users to share more personal information under the guise of getting you more pussy/dick.

Also, vague consent models are all over these platforms. Tinder, for example, claims to collect precise geolocation "with your consent" - but the app doesn't even work without location services, so there's actually no choice.

The things we do for coochie, eh?

✦QUICK HITS✦

✦Business & Tech✦

Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, pleaded guilty to violating anti-money laundering laws in November. Now, prosecutors suggest 3 years imprisonment - which is pretty mild, honestly.

Union nurses rallied against Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco, furiously opposing AI in healthcare, claiming it endangers patient safety and undermines crucial, hands-on nursing roles.

Mark Zuckerberg talked AR glasses and Metaverse investments during Meta's earnings call this Wednesday... which investors did not like. Meta’s stock instantly dropped 19% during the call - wiping out more than $200 billion in market cap and chopping $18 billion off Zuck’s networth.

Snap, on the other hand, is booming! They reported a robust first quarter, surpassing analyst expectations with a 21% revenue increase to $1.19 billion and adjusted earnings of 3 cents per share. Shares surged over 23% post-announcement.

Klarna partnered with Uber to offer "Pay Now" and monthly payment options in the U.S., Germany, and Sweden, aiming to simplify payments and management via its app ahead of a potential IPO. Klarna declined to disclose the financial terms of its deal with Uber.

✦Fashion & Culture✦

Tupac Shakur's estate issued a cease-and-desist to Drake over an AI-generated Tupac voice in "Taylor Made Freestyle," threatening legal action for unauthorized use and potential damage to Tupac's legacy.

Caitlin Clark, this year’s top WNBA Draft pick, is set to sign an eight-year, $28 million endorsement deal with Nike, which includes a future signature shoe.

Damn! Miu Miu's Q1 sales soared by 89%, significantly outpacing Prada's 7% growth. It all lands in the same basket, as both labels fall under Prada Group - which has net revenues rising 16% to €1.19 billion.

Hedi Slimane may leave as Celine's Creative Director amid contract talks with LVMH. Under Slimane, Celine expanded and hit a record $2.1 billion in sales, despite initial drops and high demands.

✦Hmm… Interesting✦

I dare you to buy this: Thermonator, a $9,420 robot dog equipped with a flamethrower, capable of 30-foot flames, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth control, and Lidar for navigation.

Read: You Are What You Read, Even If You Don’t Always Remember It.

Watch: Insane commercial for the new $20 bill introduced in 2004.

Listen: Music for Programming.

🚫 The TikTok ban, very quickly explained.
You may or may not have heard of it already. TikTok might get the ban hammer. There’s a lot of info out there, so let’s just get an overview of this thing. Here’s everything you need to know.

✦Why TikTok might get banned✦

✦Why TikTok might not get banned✦

✦How much? ✦

TikTok's U.S. operations have been suggested to start at $20 billion, while ByteDance values TikTok's global operations at over $100 billion.

That’s not exactly an easy sell. Kevin O’Leary, businessman, investor, TV personality, and all-around baller, says he’ll buy it… for $2 billion.

Also, Soulja Boy wants to buy it lol.

THE DEPTHS

History

How the M16 assault rifle went from zero to hero.

During the 1950s bloody Korean War, US soldiers were vastly outnumbered.

The United Nations forces numbered around 932,000 troops, 326,000 of which were US soldiers. Meanwhile, North Korean and Chinese forces combined had about 1.5 million troops.

Because of this, the semi-automatic M1s US soldiers had couldn't handle the sheer numbers - and they were heavy as shit.

The 36,000 US soldier death count was unacceptable. As the US continued its war against Communism, it couldn’t keep letting Americans die just because their weapons were weak.

The M1 needed to evolve.

✦Knowledge is power✦

In the 50s, weapons development was highly informed by a golden age of transforming weapons studies.

That includes Donald Hall’s Effectiveness Study of the Infantry Rifle and Johns Hopkins University’s Operations Requirements for an Infantry Hand Weapon

What they found:

Basically, they needed light, small caliber, medium-ranged rifles. But US weapons developers didn't immediately accept this notion.

Instead, they thought the problem was in the semi-auto capabilities - so they turned the M1 into a fully automatic M14.

When the Vietnam War came, they learned the hard way.

✦AK-47 superiority✦

M4s just didn’t cut it when facing AK-47s - which were smaller, lighter, and had smaller calibers. So, in the late 1950s, the U.S. military went back to the drawing board.

Enter Eugene Stoner, chief engineer at ArmaLite. Leveraging his experience in the aircraft industry, he designed the AR-15, a lightweight, portable, small-caliber built with aluminum and fiberglass.

Charmed by the AR-15s perfect build, military officials developed a crush on the rifle. Eventually, the US Air Force made a fat 80,000 order of AR-15s for the Air Force.

✦”The Good Guy”✦

In 1964, the AR-15 was standardized and renamed to M16 and sent to Vietnam.

And so, the pop culture celebrity we know it as today was born.

Since its Vietnam debut and continued use in Middle East conflicts, the M16 has subconsciously entered the Western mind as "the good guy gun."

Film, videogames, news footage, and documentaries have for 60-ish years propagandized its silhouette as a symbol of heroism and virtue.

Crazy to think that an object that the vast majority of humans have never touched or seen has become such a symbol for fighting “evil”.