Go to a profile of any celebrity on Wikipedia and it's quite possible that you'll be met with a terrible photo of them. Such images are often old or out of focus, perhaps captured candidly on a smartphone at a public event. A group of volunteer photographers has set out to fix that, as 404 Media reports.
Any media uploaded to Wikipedia has to be made freely available for anyone to use. Given that professional photographers want to make money from their work, they don't tend to share their photos there.
Enter WikiPortraits, a team of amateur snappers who have been hitting up festivals, award ceremonies and other events to take Creative Commons-licensed shots of high-profile attendees. Some of the stars seem very happy to have a replacement headshot on their Wikipedia page, the first stop for many people to find out about that person.
One photographer, Jay Dixit, said Succession star Jeremy Strong was all too glad to pose for a new snap. "His publicist said no," Dixit recounted. "But Jeremy said, 'Wait, youre from Wikipedia? For the love of God, please take down that photo. Youd be doing me a service.'"
The Wikimedia Foundation and donations are funding WikiPortraits' efforts, which you can read more about at 404 Media.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/volunteer-photographers-are-fixing-wikipedias-terrible-celebrity-headshots-194454358.html?src=rss
AMD just debuted its new FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (FSR 4) upscaling tech on the latest Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 Ti GPUs, and it sounds like it might not be limited PCs. According to a new Digital Foundry interview with Mark Cerny, some version of FSR 4 will make it into the PlayStation 5 Pro via a software update rather than new hardware.
"Our target is to have something very similar to FSR 4's upscaler available on PS5 Pro for 2026 titles as the next evolution of PSSR," Cerny tells Digital Foundry. The PS5 Pro's PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) is a custom upscaling technology that lets the console run lower-resolution versions of games and make them appear like they're 4K, and by Cerny's own lengthy explanation, it was created using a combination of existing and future AMD tech.
Based on our review of AMD's new GPUs, FSR 4 is not a miracle worker. In some cases it leads to a lower frame rate than you might get from FSR 3, but in exchange for more detail. That extra crispness, while subtle, will probably make a difference to someone who's already spent $700 on a "Pro" console. The comparison video below does a pretty good job of illustrating the improvements FSR 4 actually makes:
Sony believes implementing FSR 4 on the PS5 Pro is even possible in the first place because the company also directly contributed to the development of the tech through its "Project Amethyst" collaboration with AMD. "The neural network (and training recipe) in FSR 4's upscaler are the first results of the Amethyst collaboration," according to Cerny.
The company's work with AMD was announced with a focus on building new machine learning architecture for game graphics, but it will clearly have more immediate impacts on PSSR and current PlayStation consoles, too. "FSR 4 and this next evolution of PSSR are a paradigm for our future," Cerny tells Digital Foundry, "going forward we expect to have our own implementations of each of the algorithms developed through the collaboration."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstations-mark-cerny-says-a-version-of-fsr-4-could-be-implemented-on-the-ps5-pro-191802108.html?src=rss
The fantastic third-person adventure Control, developed by Remedy Entertainment, just got a surprise software update. The biggest news here is HDR support, which should be a real boon for graphics-minded gamers.
Interestingly, HDR support started as a mod. It was made by a Remedy dev as a passion project and now its in the actual game. Thats always nice to hear. Theres a video below with a lot more information as to how this was done.
The update also brings improved DLSS support. The game now integrates with DLSS 3.7. This isnt the latest DLSS 4.0 release, but itll get the job done. Film grain has been added back to DLSS SR and the devs have enhanced shadow resolution when DLSS is enabled. Otherwise, the update brings a new Ultra ray-tracing preset, which the dev promises more rays per pixel and higher temporal stability.
Theres ultrawide monitor support for up to 48:9 displays, a new FOV scaling setting for the camera and rendering resolution support beyond 4K. This is very much a graphics-focused update.
The newly-released features do, however, go beyond looks. All outfits that were formerly pre-order or console-specific exclusives will now be available to everyone. Also, all players can now access a mission called Dr. Yoshimi Tokuis Guided Imagery Experience. This is the one that includes voice work by Hideo Kojima. This mission was previously exclusive to the PS4 Digital Deluxe version of the game.
Beyond that, there are the usual minor bug fixes, including one for the end game credits. The update is available right now for PC players, with a console version on the way.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-surprise-control-update-brings-hideo-kojima-and-hdr-to-the-pc-version-190051559.html?src=rss
Perhaps like the loser of the proposed cage fight between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg that's never, ever happening, X has been down and out for much of Monday. Down Detector saw a spike in outage reports from users between around 5:30 AM and 6:30AM ET. There were two more prolonged spikes, denoting more significant outages, later in the morning. Team Engadget has not been able to view tweets on X for the most part, save for a few brief moments when the service showed signed of life.
The platform's owner, Elon Musk, claimed that there was a "massive cyberattack against X" with either a "large, coordinated group and/or a country" behind the claimed assault. Musk didn't provide any evidence, but experts told NBC News that his assertions were plausible.
Its difficult to be certain, but given the pattern of three observed outages, a denial service attack targeting Xs infrastructure cant be ruled out, Isik Mater, director of research at NetBlocks, which tracks internet connectivity around the world, told the outlet. Its certainly one of the longest X/Twitter outages in our records.
This isn't the first time that Musk has blamed a major attack for X's technical issues. He did the same thing last year when when he held a livestreamed audio chat with President Donald Trump last year and the broadcast wasn't working.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/elon-musk-says-a-massive-cyberattack-is-to-blame-for-x-being-down-184148605.html?src=rss
TCL just unveiled a new TV in its Precise Dimming Series. The QM7K is a Mini-LED TV and a follow-up to the recently-released QM6K. It uses the companys Halo Control Technology Suite, which is kind of a catch-all name for a bunch of tweaks the company has made to the dimming and picture quality of its Mini LEDs.
The company says the QM7K offers higher peak brightness than its predecessors and a new anti-reflective panel. TCL also promises enhanced color accuracy, gray scale accuracy and virtually no blooming. This is thanks to the company's Super High Energy LED Chip, which combines high brightness with increased light efficiency, and the Super Condensed Micro Lens, which uses a narrower light path for more precise control.
TLC
Additionally, newly-enhanced technology minimizes the optical distance between the backlight and the diffuser, which eliminates blooming, reduces the halo effect and avoids LED light overlap. The new features, in conjunction with the anti-reflective panel, create a picture with a better contrast and deeper blacks.
On the software side of things, theres a new color optimization algorithm for improved accuracy. The Halo Control System also adds a bi-directional 23-bit backlight controller, which allows for granular control of over 65,000 levels of brightness for each and every LED. Theres also a new algorithm that intelligently optimizes incoming SDR signals at near HDR level.
The QM7K features Bang & Olfusen speakers and select sizes ship with a pedestal stand. Sizes range from 55-inches all the way up to 115-inches. Prices fluctuate from around $1,300 for the smallest one to a whopping $20,000 for the 115-inch monster. Traditional sizes are availright right now at retailers nationwide, with the large models coming soon. Some purchases come with a $500 Visa gift card, which is a nice bonus.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/tcls-new-mini-led-tv-offers-higher-peak-brightness-and-better-contrast-than-earlier-models-175237076.html?src=rss
Season two of HBOs The Last of Us is just a month away, and as such the hype cycle kicked into full gear this past weekend. A full trailer finally arrived on Saturday during a panel at SXSW with the shows creators and cast (not to mention an in-depth preview in Variety), and both that trailer and the panel discussion reinforced at least one major change coming this season: more action.
That could fix one of the bigger complaints fans had about season one, which garnered tons of praise from critics and fans alike. While season one brought the Infected to life in terrifying fashion, there were long stretches of the show where they simply werent around, making them feel like less of an ever-present threat. The new trailer shows off the town of Jackson, where Joel and Ellie settled at the end of season one along with his brother Tommy, under a massive siege of Infected, the kind of battle that might take up an entire episode. And show creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann hinted that Infected would play a bigger role this season, not just in numbers.
"It was important to us to always move the ball forward with the infected," Mazin said during the SXSW panel. "Its not a question of just more, but something else that is meaningful to what is going on so they dont just become NPCs. So definitely an escalation, were careful about it because we know we have space yet to go [in future seasons]." And in response to the panels moderator noting the balance between action and drama, Druckmann pointed out that, for the showrunners, "everything is drama, even the action scenes. They all have to be character-driven."
To that end, the trailer showed off a new-but-old way for the infection to spread that wasnt present in the first season: spores. Anyone who played the games noted the absence of spores as a transmission for infection in the first season, but Mazin exclaimed "spores? Theyre back!" when talking about how the Infected were evolving for the new season. "There had to be a dramatic reason to introduce [spores] now," Druckmann said, "and now there is." Unsurprisingly, he wasnt more forthcoming about the details.
I didnt really object to the lack of spores in season one; it felt more like a game mechanic than something crucial to the plot. But there are a few story beats in The Last of Us Part II that I can recall where having spores around leads to a crucial plot reveal, and Im looking forward to seeing how they get integrated here, and what the on-screen excuse will be for not seeing them before now. Similarly, I chalked the smaller number of Infected up to changes made to translate a video game to a show, though I feel like the first season could have had one more big throw-down but I feel like season two will answer those complaints and then some.
Druckmann also said part of the reason the Infected werent more present was simply that the showrunners "werent exactly sure what we were doing." Thats not in terms of the story, but specifically in terms of showing the Infected on screen. "What should Infected look like? How much should be practical effects? How much can be VFX? Now, we know what were doing and we swung for the fences," he said. "In the game, we talk about how Jackson has had these attacks, but now we get to show it. And the reason we do it is we show you whats at stake, not for individuals but for an entire community."
The notion of community plays into the overarching story that Mazin and Druckmann want to tell in season two. Druckmann said that the first season followed Joel and Ellie and was a lot about them against other communities, like the group in Kansas City or Davids flock of followers late in the first season. "Now, we get to see them settled in Jackson, thats their home, and theres a love there for a community," Druckmann explained. "That gets us into tribalism what happens when you go against another group and you dont see the humanity in them and how far will that take you, especially when they hurt someone you love."
HBO
Mazin followed that up by noting that the show has tried to investigate "the cost of love" and is now trying to create a sense of a larger, communal love and how a smaller, tighter group can fit into it. "What happens if someone in your tight group is taken from you, and you feel alone? One thing Ellie said in season one was the thing shes most afraid of is ending up alone," Mazin said. "So all these characters have to face this potential threat of being alone, and without a tribe, and then what do you do?"
The other big theme that came out of the panel focused on how new cast members Kaitlyn Dever (Abby), Isabela Merced (Dina) and Young Mazino (Jesse) would fit in with returning stars Bella Ramsey (Ellie), Pedro Pascal (Joel) and Gabriel Luna (Tommy).
"Yes, [the new cast] came in like badasses," said Pascal before then turning to Ramsey. "But you make it so easy, and so welcoming. I think we all really looked to Bella this time around as far as the cast is concerned. And this kind of open permission to be ourselves and to partner together in the scenes I think it is the sort of unspoken leadership that made it such an easy, horrifying place to step into." With his ever-present Dad-style humor, Pascal followed that by saying "The story was horrifying. Not Canada."
"Theyre not new to me, because weve lived all this time together and it was seamless and I feel rather protective of you guys, and I love you guys, and you gave us everything," Mazin said. "Not a weak link in the chain," Druckmann interjected before Mazin went on to say how much he was looking forward to shooting with them yet again.
Ramsey spoke to how well the new cast integrated itself during season twos filming. "I think its such a hard thing to do, to come into a world and a show thats already really established, it must be so intimidating and these people just came in and made it their own and fit in so well," they said. "Izzy brought a lot of joy and laughter and made everyone laugh consistently its just a joy to work with all three of these guys."
HBO
Kaitlyn Dever owned up to the anxiety the shot produced, saying that stepping into a world that was so beloved was "nerve-wracking and anxiety-inducing" and thats without mentioning the online hate that the character shes portraying (and its voice actor) received in 2020 when The Last of Us Part II was leaked two months before its release. Dever didnt get into that specific hornets nest during the panel, but did say that "there are so many expectations going into this, and it's just a matter of balancing that and also coming to it with my own ideas and building the character with Craig and Neil."
The cast was an undeniable highlight of the first season of The Last of Us everyone on the show absolutely killed, regardless of whether they were in six episodes or were on the screen for six minutes. Projecting familial friendliness during a press tour is one thing, but the love and respect the actors have for each other as well as Mazin and Druckmann has been continually obvious over the last few years, particularly between Ramsey and Pascal.
A fan shot a clip of Pascal watching the season two trailer during the panel, and he clearly gets emotional at the end of it, leaning over and giving Ramsey a big bear hug. As much as the show might be, on the surface, about fungal zombies, it only works because of the relationships between the characters on screen, whether thats Joel and Ellie or now Ellie and Dina or Abby and her WLF crew. Assuming everyone gets that right in season two, the show should satisfy again regardless of how many Infected are on screen.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-last-of-us-season-two-promises-a-lot-more-action-alongside-devastating-drama-170044014.html?src=rss
If youve picked up an iPad in the last five years or so, the new iPad Air will not surprise you. It is, in every way but one, identical to the iPad Air that Apple released last spring. The only difference is that the latest iPad Air has the M3 chip inside, instead of the already-capable M2. Even the (extremely muted) colors appear identical this year. Besides the 13-inch screen option Apple added last spring, the iPad Air is barely different from the one that was released way back in 2020.
That makes this iPad exceedingly easy to review everything I wrote last May when I reviewed the 13-inch iPad Air M2 applies here. I like that it has a long-lasting battery, plenty of power, a reasonable amount of base storage and a front-facing camera on the landscape edge. The 13-inch model is still fairly large, but its thin and light enough to hold without issue though if you prefer holding an iPad to using it with a keyboard, youre probably better off with the 11-inch model. The Apple Pencil Pro released last year is a nice upgrade for serious visual artists. I dont like that it still relies on Touch ID instead of Face ID, and I think its time the iPad Air had a better display.
Given that the M3 chip is the main change here, its worth giving it a little more attention. Geekbench 6 scores show that the iPad Air with the M3 is about 16 percent more powerful in both single- and multi-core scores. Thats pretty impressive given that the M2 iPad Air is less than a year old, but its not something thatll radically change how you use the device. It does mean its a little more future-proof, though, and Im always happy about that. In real use, the iPad Air handled multitasking through my workday, playing games, transcoding video and trying out various Apple Intelligence features with absolutely no hiccups and slowdowns.
Apple has been aggressive about putting extremely powerful chips in the iPad Air and Pro lineups for a few years now, and its nice that you basically never have to worry about slowdowns. And the newer chip had no ill effects on battery life I easily got eight hours during a workday with the Magic Keyboard connected the whole time, and close to the 10 hours Apple promises when doing more causal activities or watching video.
Nathan Ingraham for Engadget
Apple also fixed one of my two major complaints about the last iPad Air. It has a new Magic Keyboard modeled after the much-improved one that was introduced alongside the iPad Pro M4. Its thinner and lighter than the old iPad Air keyboard, has a row of useful function keys and the trackpad is a bit bigger. These arent major changes, but they are enough to make me much happier with the keyboard experience this year. It doesnt have a few niceties youll find on the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard, though: The top case is smooth plastic rather than aluminum, the keys arent backlit and the trackpad has a physical click rather than haptic feedback. However, this keyboard is also $30 cheaper than the one it replaces. Its still wildly expensive $269 for the 11-inch Air and $319 for the 13-inch model.
The iPad Pro M4 on the left and the iPad Air M3 on the right. The iPad Pro's keyboard has a slightly bigger trackpad.
Nathan Ingraham for Engadget
In fact, this whole package Im trying is wildly expensive. The 13-inch iPad Air with 1TB of storage and 5G connectivity costs $1,449, and thats not including the keyboard. However, a comparably specced iPad Pro costs, wait for it, $2,099 without its keyboard. The 13-inch Air starts at $799 with 128GB of storage, a price that seems fair to me. Similarly, the 11-inch Air at $599 feels like a great value and has numerous meaningful improvements over the basic iPad.
With the new iPad Air so similar to last years model, I started thinking about the compromises that Apple makes to keep the price of the Air at a more approachable level, and whether those are reasonable in 2025. The major advantages the iPad Pro M4 has over the iPad Air M3 are: a much better OLED display with a higher refresh rate, more storage space on the base model, a more powerful chip, better speakers and microphones, Face ID instead of Touch ID, a thinner and lighter design, a LiDAR sensor and a few extra photo and video capture capabilities. The iPad Pro also offers a nano-texture front glass option (to reduce screen glare) on the 1TB and 2TB models, and those models with more storage also have 16GB of RAM instead of 8GB.
Nathan Ingraham for Engadget
In almost all cases, I dont have any issue with those features staying exclusive to the iPad Pro. But after using the iPad Air for a bit, I think its time Apple finds a way to improve on the screen. In fact, I think theres a solid solution waiting in the wings: deploy the mini-LED display that Apple used in the iPad Pro from 2021 and 2022. That screen refreshes at up to 120Hz, the sme as others that Apple brands as ProMotion-capable, and max brightness when watching movies was 1,000 nits and could jump up to 1,600 nits for HDR content. Brightness when not watching video maxed out at 600 nits, like the iPad Air, but given how popular iPads are for watching video, this would be a major improvement.
Chances are that between the higher refresh rate and improved brightness, Apple feels the mini-LED screen would still be too close to the iPad Pros OLED panel (which remains shockingly nice, probably the best portable screen Ive ever seen). And Apple never made a mini-LED display for the 11-inch iPad Pro, so it would have to develop something new for the smaller iPad Air.
There are plenty of reasons not to do it, but I think the iPad Air deserves a better screen. In fact, Id be happy enough if Apple just gave me the same screen with a higher refresh rate. The company still reserves that feature for its most expensive Pro devices, but the landscape is a lot different in 2025 than it was in 2020. Plenty of midrange phones have 90Hz or 120Hz screens. Of course, Apple has never really cared about what other manufacturers do; it has pretty consistent rules about what devices get what tech. The iPad Airs screen is essentially the same as the one on the MacBook Air, while the more expensive iPad Pro, MacBook Pro and iPhone Pro lines all get higher refresh rates. Thats just where were at, but Im ready for it to change.
Nathan Ingraham for Engadget
Of course, I also need to admit that the iPad Airs screen remains quite lovely. Apple has fine-tuned its LCD tech to within an inch of its life, and it shows in the vibrant colors, overall sharpness and great viewing angles. Sure, I notice that blacks arent as truly black as they could be with an OLED or mini-LED, but Im not sitting around thinking about that when I watch movies or play games. I just enjoy what Im doing without fussing over screen specs.
The lower refresh rate is more noticeable in day-to-day usage youre constantly touching, swiping and scrolling through content on an iPad, and it just does not feel as fluid. My main devices are a MacBook Pro, iPhone 14 Pro and iPad Pro, all of which use ProMotion. Stepping down to the iPad Air is just a bit of a bummer. And while Apple clearly feels it doesnt always have to respond to larger industry trends, its hard to imagine it sticking with 60Hz screens for most of their products much longer.
Nathan Ingraham for Engadget
My other major quibble with the iPad Air is Touch ID. At this point, Face ID really does not feel like a Pro feature. Excluding the iPhone SE lineup, every new iPhone since 2018 has had Face ID, but you still need to spend $1,000 or more to get it on an iPad. That feels a little extreme! Touch ID is fine, but there are a lot of sites and services I often need to log in to for work and having to constantly reach up and touch the top button is a bit of a hassle. Especially compared with just making sure my face is in frame with the front camera. This probably felt like more of a pain during my review, since the iPad Air is brand new and setting up requires a ton of logging in to various apps. Still, Face ID definitely does not feel like a feature that needs to be locked to Pro devices at this point.
Nathan Ingraham for Engadget
Everything else you need to know about the new iPad Air is covered in my review from 10 months ago, but Ill sum it up. I think the Air remains a clear upgrade over the base iPad I appreciate its improved display, stronger performance, more robust multitasking experience and better accessories. Not to mention the 13-inch Air is the only way to get a big-screen iPad without breaking the bank. Im glad Apple built a better keyboard too, and if you have an older iPad Air, the new keyboard will work with it.
But the new iPad with the A16 chip is also better than its predecessor because Apple has fixed a number of issue with it since 2022. The price is lower, storage is doubled and the dumb Lightning Pencil charging situation is now gone. If you don't care about Apple Intelligence, more advanced multitasking and a better or bigger screen, a lot of people looking for "just a good iPad" won't miss the Air's upgrades, especially if they're saving $250.
However, for people who want more from their iPad, the Air is just as easy for me to recommend as it was last year. You can get 80 percent of the iPad Pro experience for a lot less money, and the vast majority of buyers arent going to miss the Pros extra features.
My main caveat is that this iPad Air feels like a slightly-upgraded stopgap ahead of a bigger redesign, much as the iPad Pro was in 2022. That iPad went from an M1 to an M2 and got some nice software updates, but was largely the same as its predecessor and then Apple gave it a massive update a year and a half later. The iPad Air M3 feels like it's in a similar place, just waiting for a big refresh. I don't think it'll be too long before Apple has to update some of its older bits, particularly the display. If youre the kind of person who really loves a good screen, it might be worth waiting another year to see if Apple finally brings faster refresh rates to more iPads.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/ipad-air-m3-review-a-modest-update-thats-still-easy-to-recommend-130045196.html?src=rss
JBL just announced a pair of portable speakers that take advantage of the companys AI Sound Boost technology. This software analyzes the signal and maxes out the driver while minimizing distortion. The company says this creates a boost in sound quality.
The Flip 7 features an interchangeable strap and carabiner and an updated control placement when compared to the previous generation. The Flip 6 easily made our list of the best portable Bluetooth speakers, so any improvement is just icing on the cake. It also includes an upgraded woofer with more output power, which should further improve the sound.
The battery life is solid, at 14 hours of use per charge. Theres a Playtime Boost feature that dials back the bass to add another two hours of use. The Flip 7 offers the ability for multi-speaker output thats powered by Auracast and it can play lossless audio over USB-C, just like the Beats Pill. Preorders are open right now, with shipments going out on April 6. This speaker costs $150.
JBL
The Charge 6 also includes a new design with an updated button layout and a detachable and reconfigurable strap. Just like the Flip 7, it includes a redesigned woofer for an audio upgrade. The battery life here is astounding, at 24 hours of use per charge. This is several hours more than the Charge 5. It also includes Playtime Boost, for even more juice, and a quick-charge feature.
This speaker can be used as part of a larger system via Auracast. Preorders are available right now and shipments go out on April 6. That extra battery life does tick the price up a bit, as the Charge 6 costs $200.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/jbl-just-announced-two-new-portable-speakers-that-support-ai-sound-boost-technology-120052295.html?src=rss
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is coming to PlayStation 5 on June 26. At SXSW, Kojima Productions dropped a 10-minute trailer for the upcoming game, giving us our best look yet at the sequel to 2019s Death Stranding. Pre-orders open on March 17 at 10AM local time, and those who buy the Digital Deluxe or Collectors Edition will get early access two days before the game officially becomes available.
Hideo Kojima was joined by Norman Reedus and Troy Baker on stage at SXSW 2025 to discuss the much anticipated new game. The trailer reveals Death Stranding 2 takes place 11 months after the creation of the United Cities of America. As previous glimpses have shown, Reedus is back as Sam, along with Léa Seydoux, who voices Fragile, and Baker as Higgs. Theres otherwise a lot to take in over the course of the videos 10-minute run, including a slew of new faces joining the cast.
Death Stranding 2 was first announced back in 2022, and last years PlayStation State of Play brought a 9-minute look into the game. Come summertime, you'll finally be able to play it.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/death-stranding-2-just-got-its-release-date-and-a-10-minute-new-trailer-231240932.html?src=rss
A report from The Washington Post details allegations made by whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams about Facebook in a 78-page complaint filed last April with the SEC, including that the company built a censorship system in hopes to be allowed to operate in China and that it considered allowing the Chinese government to access users data in the country. Claims that Facebook developed a content suppression tool to appease China, where it has been blocked since 2009, were first reported as far back as 2016 by The New York Times. Wynn-Williams has a memoir about her time at Facebook, Careless People: A Story of Where I Used to Work, coming out this week.
Wynn-Williams a former Facebook global policy director who was fired in 2017 said in the complaint that the company formed a team in 2014 focused on creating a version of Facebook that would comply with Chinas laws, under the code-name Project Aldrin, The Washington Post reports. In addition to building a censorship system, it was reportedly proposed during negotiations with Chinese officials that the company allow a Chinese private-equity firm to review content posted by users in China, and that Facebook hire hundreds of moderators dedicated to the effort of squashing restricted content.
In a statement to The Washington Post, spokesperson Andy Stone said the company's past interest in the Chinese market is no secret, and that CEO Mark Zuckerberg had announced a move away from these efforts in 2019. But Wynn-Williams complaint paints a fuller picture of how far Facebook (pre-Meta) was allegedly willing to go to gain a Chinese userbase. Read The Washington Posts full report here.
Zuckerberg has since become vocal about free expression and made changes to how Metas platforms approach moderation. Earlier this year, Zuckerberg announced that Facebook and Instagram would end fact-checking and instead adopt X-style Community Notes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/whistleblower-complaint-expands-on-claims-that-facebook-once-built-a-censorship-tool-to-win-over-china-215047102.html?src=rss
