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Roblox causes Wall Street value estimators to cry themselves a $9 billion puddle, as a result of pushing less kids towards aggressively monetised viral games
Roblox has come under fire from Wall Street after changing its recommendation algorithm to favour games that retain players long-term rather than those that squeeze the most money out of them quickly, causing its market capitalisation to fall by around $9 billion. The move followed the company’s second-quarter financial results, which showed spending within Roblox…
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Eyewitness describes suspicious encounter that helped launch Washington wildfire arson probe
A Washington state grandfather has described a suspicious encounter with a stranger that helped lead investigators to an arson suspect accused of starting a devastating wildfire near Spokane. The witness said a man loitering near a little-used dead-end road by railroad tracks caught his attention shortly before smoke was seen rising from the same spot,…
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TikTok speak out on delayed removal of Perez Hilton’s livestream showing footage of self-harm
TikTok has responded to criticism over its handling of a livestream in which celebrity blogger Perez Hilton filmed himself self-harming, saying the delay in removal was down to a moderator error rather than inaction. Hilton was hospitalised on Tuesday (4 August) after the stream prompted several viewers to call emergency services, with the Miami-Dade sheriff’s…
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TikTok closes Nashville office on Music Row and lays off staff – two years after signing the lease
TikTok is closing its Nashville office on Music Row and laying off all staff based there, just two years after signing the lease. The company said the move was intended to “streamline our operations and better align our teams for long-term growth,” though the decision marks a sharp reversal from an expansion that had made…
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Roblox Blames Falling Player Numbers and In-Game Spending on Its Push to Recommend Less Slop to Kids — And There Being No Replacement for Last Year’s Viral Hit Grow a Garden
Roblox player numbers and in-game spending have fallen sharply from their peak last summer, when the gaming platform hosted viral hits such as Grow a Garden and Steal the Brainrot.
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SpaceX’s wandering Falcon 9 rocket has crashed into the moon
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket upper stage has crashed into the Moon, roughly four months after astronomers first predicted the collision would occur. Scientists confirmed the impact indirectly, as it happened on the sunlit side of the Moon where glare made direct observation impossible; researchers instead detected a plume of sodium and lithium gas via…
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The U.S. Government’s Mario, Pokémon and Naruto Meme Posting Could Damage These Franchises, Japanese Officials Warn
Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly urged the US government to stop using characters from franchises such as Mario, Pokémon and Naruto in official social media posts without permission, warning that the practice could damage these intellectual properties. The complaints, made since March, follow the Trump administration’s use of Japanese anime and video game…
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Westfield Bondi dry cleaner filmed saying ‘I am a racist’: Shopper reveals what happened before viral confrontation as police investigate
A video circulating on TikTok shows a dry cleaner at Westfield Bondi Junction in Sydney appearing to tell a customer “I am a racist” during a heated confrontation, prompting a police investigation. A shopper who witnessed the incident has since come forward to describe what allegedly led up to the filmed exchange, adding context to…
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‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Reveals the Vulnerable Moment That Changes Kirk and Spock [Exclusive]
Paul Wesley, Ethan Peck, and Christina Chong reveal how Star Trek: Strange New Worlds deepens Kirk and Spock’s friendship after Episode 3.
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What song was number one when Margaret Thatcher took office in 1979?
The article, published by Far Out Magazine, appears to explore which song held the UK number one chart position when Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister in May 1979, marking the start of a transformative and often divisive era in British politics. However, the text supplied for this piece consists only of the page’s navigation menu…