IT General

If an electrical device exists, there's almost certainly a smart version of it by now. Unfortunately, a lot of smart tech is smart for the sake of it and doesn't offer much practical use. Despite this, there are plenty of ways that a smart home can still be useful.

I used to ignore cookies. Now I clear them every two weeks—and it’s changed how I think about online privacy. While they have their uses, here’s why managing cookies matters.

Windows Subsystem for Linux, or WSL, is a way to run Linux distributions in Windows without dual-booting or installing virtual machines, but its real power comes from the ability to launch Windows and Linux apps simultaneously.

The field of politics has become even more complicated for women leaders, with the rise of generative AI posing an even greater risk for female politicians than men, according to a report released this week.

The analysis, published by disinformation think tank the American Sunlight Project (ASP) via The 19th on Dec. 11, uncovered more than 35,000 pieces of digitally altered nonconsensual intimate imagery (NCII) depicting 26 members of Congress. ASP's numbers, when broken down, outline a stark reality for victims of NCII: Of those thousands of images, the organization found 25 women politicians depicted by AI. Only one man was the subject of such content.

Throughout the entire study, women members of Congress were 70 times more likely than men to be targeted by non-consensual synthetic images and 1 in 6 congresswomen (or 16 percent) are the victims of nonconsensual intimate imagery.

SEE ALSO: Defense Department going big on generative AI to 'meet critical warfighter problems'

Leaders across the political aisle have attempted to address the rise of both NCII and synthetic AI-generated images, but have been slow to reach consensus. In January, a bipartisan group of Senators introduced the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (Defiance Act), intended to criminalize the act of spreading nonconsensual, sexualized "digital forgeries" made with AI. It was passed in July but is still being considered by the House.

Last week the Senate passed the Take It Down Act, introduced by Senator Ted Cruz in June. The bill similarly criminalizes the publishing of digitally manipulated deepfakes online but also metes out penalties for companies who fail to remove such content within 48 hours of it being reported.

But the gendered reality of AI-boosted images can't be understated, especially as women leaders navigate a precarious online environment putting them at greater risk for sexual abuse. In August, the Center for Countering Digital Hate published a study on the rise of online hate and negative engagement on the social profiles of women politicians. According to an analysis of the Instagram profiles of 10 female incumbents, one in 25 comments was "highly likely" to be toxic. Instagram failed to act on 93 percent of reported abusive comments targeting female politicians.

"We need to kind of reckon with this new environment and the fact that the internet has opened up so many of these harms that are disproportionately targeting women and marginalized communities," said American Sunlight Project founder and author Nina Jankowicz. "My hope here is that the members are pushed into action when they recognize not only that it’s affecting American women, but it’s affecting them. It’s affecting their own colleagues. And this is happening simply because they are in the public eye."

ASP informed the offices of affected politicians, alerting them to AI-generated NCII. The images were almost entirely removed following the notice, although the organization didn't receive any comments.

If you have had intimate images shared without your consent, call the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative’s 24/7 hotline at 844-878-2274 for free, confidential support. The CCRI website also includes helpful information as well as a list of international resources.

Obsidian and Notion are two of the most powerful and widely recommended note-taking apps, each offering unique features to help you capture and manage your thoughts. But which one aligns best with your needs? Let's delve into their strengths and differences to help you decide.

There are steps that you should take to make yourself less of a target for thieves, and to make sure your mobile devices are useless if someone else does get a hold of them. Here's what you can do to protect your Windows laptops and tablets against theft and burglary.

The arrangement of your stereo speakers can make a huge difference to your listening experience, and that's true whether you have entry-level bookshelf speakers or high-end free-standing ones. The perfect speaker placement is almost impossible to achieve outside of a dedicated HiFi room, but the more of the following principles you're able to adopt, the better the sound quality you'll enjoy.

If you want to watch movies and shows with others remotely, a great way to do that is by streaming Disney+ on a Discord server. Discord has great functionality for screen sharing and streaming, so here's how to make the most of it, and how to troubleshoot if problems arise.

Brian Cox, Gaia Wise and Luca Pasqualino are joined by the filmmakers of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim to do a deep dive into how the prequel film sets the stage for the epic Peter Jackson trilogy.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is now in theaters.

Connections is a game from the New York Times that challenges you to find the association between words. It sounds easy, but it isn't—Connections categories can be almost anything, and they're usually quite specific. If you need a hand getting the answers, we've got you covered.

The term "dynamic range" can be a bit daunting if you're unfamiliar with audio terms generally. Thankfully, this is one of the easier concepts to understand and hear when it comes to audio. Dynamic range can make a big difference in your enjoyment of any audio, so here's everything you need to know.

Android updates aren't what they used to be. In recent years, I haven't been able to tell if I've received one without checking the version number. That isn't the case with One UI 7, and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on something that actually feels new.

Nothing makes our current reality feel more surreal than when Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update headlines are more truth than punchline.

SEE ALSO: Adam Sandler as a bloody surgery patient completely breaks 'SNL' cast

Co-anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che ran through several Trump-related headlines on this week's show, hosted by Chris Rock. The lineup included the president-elect being named TIME's Person of the Year, Elon Musk insinuating that Trump and late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg were reproductive justice allies, and the leader's recent pledge to end Daylight Savings Time (Thanks, I guess?).

From the Starbucks-drinking United Healthcare CEO assassin to Amazon donating $1 million to Donald Trump's inauguration, this week has felt far too long.

When AI chatbots like ChatGPT first launched, many of us were skeptical of their accuracy. Asking AI questions was more of a party trick than a legitimate use case. Since it's been a couple of years of steady improvements, the question arises: Can we finally replace manual search with AI?

How best to signal to an audience that a sketch is about to go off the walls? You throw Adam Sandler's sliced artery on the operating table. Literally.

In a surprise appearance on this week's episode, Sandler is the unfortunate, tropical shirt-wearing victim of a baffled surgical team led by Saturday Night Live host Chris Rock.

SEE ALSO: 'SNL' cold open questions why the internet finds Luigi Mangione so hot

There's blood everywhere, the fourth wall no longer exists, and just about everything in this operating room is going haywire, mostly due to an inept (but really hot) nurse named Leslie (Sarah Sherman). She's a Gen Z-coded, AirPod-wearing questionable medical professional who the doctors, and Sandler, keep sticking up for, because everybody needs that one coworker you can rag on. Where are Dr. Please and Jeffrey Thank You when you need them.

If you’re interested in new technology, and maybe even in how investing works, you will have heard the term “deep tech.” What kind of tech is it, though, and what makes it deep?

Nancy Grace is on the case of why the internet finds United Healthcare CEO assassin Luigi Mangione so hot, in this weekend's Saturday Night Live cold open.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 15

With questionable uses of the phrases "BDE" and "twunk," Sarah Sherman, donning a gravity-defying Nancy Grace wig and over-the-top accent, embraces the legal commentator's YouTube era, complete with annoying interrupting ads.

Sprinkle in appearances from a guy who was in the McDonald's where Mangione was arrested, and new cast member Emil Wakim finally fulfilling the internet's dream of seeing him play Mangione (or his lookalike... close enough), and the sketch is a quick rundown of the week's favorite, thirst-filled memes.

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Like many other social media apps these days, X (Twitter) offers an encrypted messaging option for users. However, the way it was implemented has some major limitations and barriers, making it a lot less useful than other apps with encrypted messaging.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Sunday December 15, 2024:

AcrossHalloween costume with a bedsheet

• The answer is Ghost.

Role for Leonardo DiCaprio in a '90s romantic tragedy

• The answer is Romeo.

Thwart, as disaster

• The answer is Avert.

"Switching gears here ..." or "On a similar note ..."

• The answer is Segue.

British baby buggies

• The answer is Prams.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 15, 2024 DownWrap one's mind around

• The answer is Grasp.

Float like a hummingbird

• The answer is Hover.

Upscale Swiss watch that shares its name with a Greek letter

• The answer is Omega.

Truth ___

• The answer is Serum.

Slangy "For sure!"

• The answer is Totes.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Mini Crossword.

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