News December 09, 2024
The Sticky Dilemmas of Pornhub’s Next Chapter
Alex Kekesi is a vice president at Pornhub, an adult entertainment website. She was at dinner with several creators when the conversation turned to generative AI. Kekesi empathized with the performers and shared similar stories from set. The women expressed frustrations about their likeness being exploited and talked of having to physically cross out language in their contract before filming. They also mentioned that Pornhub had been accused of hosting videos depicting sexual abuse, including of children. Kekesi acknowledged the problems faced by Pornhub but downplayed the platform’s troubles. She was thrust into her role in 2023 after a particularly turbulent period for the company.
Meet the Plant Hacker Creating Flowers Never Seen (or Smelled) Before
Sebastian Cocioba is a plant biotechnology researcher who has created a home laboratory where he works on synthetic biology projects. He started by using agrobacterium, a microbe commonly used to engineer new attributes into plants, to bioengineer a flower called Petunia. He then set up a makeshift lab in his hallway nook and began experimenting with 3D printing to create equipment for his work. Cocioba’s main goal is to become a “flower designer” and has created a pipette-for-hire service where he works for startups to develop scientific proof-of-concepts. He also documents his experiments on an online notebook that is free for anyone to use and sells some of the plasmids he uses to transform flowers. Cocioba is trying to recreate the 19th-century boom of amateur plant breeders and is exploring a whole smellscape of evocative scents with his startup Senseory Plants, which wants to engineer indoor plants to produce unique scents.
Taking on the Tyranny of the Tech Bros
The computing industry is facing a decline in its reputation due to the lack of diversity and inclusion within the field. Despite efforts to broaden participation, women and nonbinary individuals are underrepresented in computing positions, with only 21% of positions held by women and 2% of African American or Latina workers. This is particularly concerning during downsizing periods, as women are disproportionately affected. The “Bro Code” - a set of core values driving culture in computing worksites that perpetuate high tolerance for sexual harassment and discrimination - also contributes to the field’s failure to rectify its segregation.
The Bro Code is reinforced by authoritarianism, with some programmers imitating this behavior. Women attendees at the Grace Hopper Celebration reported being verbally harassed and assaulted, and some were even barged in front of in lines. These experiences are not unique to women, as Lynn’s experience with an eye-tracking device for disabilities was repurposed for marketing analysis, and Shauna’s lab mates nicknamed her “accessibility bitch” when she worked on projects to help those disenfranchised in computing.
The public is growing disenchanted with the industry due to its failure to deliver solutions to social ills while dodging taxes, quashing regulations, and fueling a pay inequality gap. The “Bro Code” bosses talk a big game about its socially revolutionary impact, but participants in research felt thwarted when trying to use their technical skills to serve others.
As the industry continues to deliver empty promises instead of solutions, activism against the militarization, racism, sexism, and economic exploitation in the tech industry will continue to grow. Strong coalitions across workers are what scare these reigning elites the most, as recent organizing activities by tech workers have shown. For example, more than 20,000 Google employees staged a walkout against sexual harassment and systemic racism in the company. In 2025, activism against the militarization, racism, sexism, and economic exploitation in the tech industry will skyrocket higher than Bro Code bosses’ space jets.
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 9, 2024
Connections is a word game that requires players to find common threads between words. Each puzzle features 16 words and players must group four words into four categories. The categories can include anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Players have up to four mistakes to solve the puzzle before it resets at midnight. Connections is a popular game on both web browsers and mobile devices and can be played by sharing the results with friends on social media.
Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 9
Wordle is a popular word-guessing game that originated as a gift from engineer Josh Wardle to his partner. It has since become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people playing every day. The best starting word for Wordle is one that includes at least two different vowels and some common consonants like S, T, R, or N. The Wordle archive was originally available for anyone to enjoy, but it was later taken down by the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with F. The solution to today’s Wordle is…FLUNG. Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.