The L.A. wildfires show how social media has become just another spin room

It’s hard to remember now, as you scroll through a thicket of porn bots, anti-trans activists, and AI slop, but there was a time when Twitter was credibly labeled our “global town square.” Certainly, the social media platform proved a central meeting place for Arab Spring and Black Li

What does Meta’s Oversight Board even do?

When Meta established its Oversight Board to adjudicate on decisions it made about removing content from its platforms in 2020, the goal was for the select group of individuals from the media, civil society, and academia, to act as a check on the tech company’s decisions.

But as Meta dramatically overhauled its approach to content moderation and fact-checking this week, many have asked w

6 years ago, Elon Musk offered help during wildfires. This time he blamed DEI

When a devastating wildfire hit California in November 2018, a powerful CEO went on Twitter to ask how his company could help. That CEO’s name was Elon Musk.

What a difference six years can make. The contrast between Musk’s 2018 tweet and his response to the infernos currently raging through Southern California is stark. Th

Dell’s new PC names are boring—and a smart move

There are surely many reasons that the parents of tech icon Michael Dell did not name him Inspiron or XPS. For one, Dell’s parents aren’t Elon Musk. More generally, there is appeal to a commonplace name. Yes, you sacrifice originality. You risk being called a copycat by your cousin. But in return you get benefits like clarity and simplicity. 

Sony PlayStation is adding smell—yes, you read that right—to its games

Sony has unveiled a new gaming system that could allow PlayStation players to sniff their way through games like The Last of Us.

Unveiled at CES 2025, the Future Immersive Entertainment Concept (FIEC) features a huge, room-size setup designed to push the boundaries of immersive gaming. A ">trailer for the concept shows a giant cube built from high-definition LED screens that enables players to step directly into their

AI at CES: a look at the wild PCs, smart glasses, and body-scanning mirrors turning heads at the conference

Welcome to AI DecodedFast Company’s weekly newsletter that breaks down the most important news in the world of AI. You can sign up to receive this newsletter every week here.

AI hasn’t taken over CES, but it’s making a showing

Consumer electronics companies have only begun to put AI brains in

Watch Duty overtakes ChatGPT in the App Store as California wildfires spread

As devastating fires continue to rage in the Southern California area, an app that tracks wildfires with live maps and alerts has become the No. 1 free app in Apple’s App Store.

Watch Duty, launched in 2021 and used by firefighters and first responders across the western United States, surpassed the ChatGPT app, Lemon8 and Threads for the top spot as of W

How a Minnesota limo driver invented the tech that’s changing college football

College football is suddenly in a constant state of change. The transfer portal, conference realignment, players making millions in NIL deals, the first-ever 12-team playoff—if you cryogenically froze someone five years ago and woke them up today, they wouldn’t recognize the sport.

But one recent experiment has flown largely under the rada

Airbnb is offering temporary housing for people impacted by the L.A. wildfires

Airbnb’s nonprofit arm, Airbnb.org, is providing free, temporary housing for Los Angeles residents who have been displaced or forced to evacuate due to the ongoin


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