DIGITAL LIFE

'News will find me' mindset makes people trust algorithms and online networks

One in three people believe they don't have to seek the news from traditional outlets like newspapers and television. Instead, they think the "news will find me" (NFM), relying on algorithms and social networks to get their information. A research team led by Penn State scholars recently found that these individuals often consider their online networks to be as trustworthy as professional editors and journalists.

This mindset may make people more vulnerable to believing and sharing misinformation, according to the researchers, who have published their findings in the journal Social Media & Society.

To understand news consumption behavior, the researchers designed an experiment that allowed them to observe how individuals with different levels of NFM engage with news. The researchers found users with higher NFM considered news recommended by algorithms or shared by others in their social network to be just as credible as news recommended by editors and reporters.

However, mid- and low-NFM individuals more critically evaluated news sources and placed higher value on stories from editors and reporters.

"The good news is that overall, professionals are still valued," said corresponding author S. Shyam Sundar, Evan Pugh University Professor and James P. Jimirro Professor of Media Effects at Penn State. "But people with this tendency to rely on news coming to them—which is becoming more and more people—are trusting algorithms and social media friends to be their news sources."

When readers grant algorithms and social networks the same authority as journalists, it's easy for bad actors to manipulate that digital space versus imitating a trusted news source, the researchers said.

"The underlying psychological mechanism was not parsed out in previous studies," said first author Mengqi Liao, assistant professor at the University of Georgia who completed her doctoral studies with Sundar at Penn State. "We did this experiment to understand and explain why respondents evaluate the recommended news the way they do."

The web-based experiment included 244 participants. Each user completed a pre-questionnaire that measured NFM level using a standardized survey scale. Then participants were randomly assigned to one of three simulated news feeds, which recommended content by a news editor, social media friends or an algorithm.

The content stayed the same across news feeds, only the source of the recommendation—algorithm, friends or editors—changed. This allowed the researchers to examine how each source prompted participants to rely on different heuristics: "mental shortcuts," or rules of thumb that people use to make quick judgments.

For example, when a news article is recommended by an editor, this activates the authority heuristic, prompting readers to trust the information because it comes from professional journalists.

When content is recommended by an algorithm, it triggers the machine heuristic. Articles recommended by social media friends activate the homophily heuristic, meaning people are more likely to trust information shared by individuals they see as similar to themselves.

"For some people, the algorithm now carries the same weight as a journalist," said co-author Homero Gil De Zúñiga, distinguished professor of media studies at Penn State. "We're seeing a flattening of authority so that algorithms and social media feeds are being trusted like professional journalism."

Sundar said the fact that this makes people with high NFM more vulnerable to misinformation and less informed overall is especially problematic with more people adopting an NFM approach to their news and information.

Liao added that it "would be a really big problem" if social media friends and algorithms recommended very biased or even false information.

"Subscriptions are going down; people are not actually seeking news," Sundar said. "Machine as a source is now becoming predominant, undermining the more traditional professional sources, and that's worrisome."

Sundar suggested possible strategies for combating the phenomenon, such as targeting high NFM people with customized media literacy interventions. These interventions could inform readers about where information originated, as well as the steps journalists took to uncover the information.

Trusting algorithms and online networks poses significant dangers, primarily because these systems are not neutral, objective, or transparent. They can amplify harmful biases, manipulate behavior through echo chambers, and facilitate the rapid spread of misinformation, ultimately threatening personal safety, social cohesion, and democratic processes.

1. Amplification of bias and discrimination:

-Biased training data: Algorithms are trained on historical data, which often contains societal prejudices. As a result, they can perpetuate, or even amplify, discrimination regarding race, gender, and socioeconomic status.

-Unfair Outcomes: Automated systems used in hiring, lending, or criminal justice can lead to unfair decisions, punishing or marginalizing individuals based on flawed, biased data.

-Facial Recognition Errors: Algorithms, particularly in facial recognition, have been shown to work less accurately for people of color, causing disproportionate issues for certain demographics.

2. Information manipulation and echo chambers:

-Filter Bubbles: Algorithms prioritize content that matches a user's previous preferences to maximize engagement. This restricts exposure to diverse perspectives, reinforcing existing beliefs and creating "echo chambers".

-Prioritizing Polarization: Platforms often highlight divisive or sensationalist content because it generates more engagement (clicks, views), which can radicalize users and increase social polarization.

-Spread of Misinformation: Algorithms can act as a catalyst for misinformation, promoting false or harmful content simply because it triggers high emotional reactions, which can destabilize democracies.

Provided by Pennsylvania State University

DIGITAL LIFE

CallPhantom: Fraudulent Android apps scam the curious

It sounds like a story straight out of a tech spy movie, but the damage is very real. Imagine you need to check a number's call log, or perhaps confirm a detail in a WhatsApp message history, and you find an app that promises to do exactly that in a simple way. The result? More than 7.3 million people fell into the CallPhantom trap, a sophisticated scheme that turned the Google Play Store into a veritable minefield for the wallets of less attentive users.

IT researchers from Eset have uncovered a malware campaign called “CallPhantom,” in which the masterminds behind the Android apps promise to provide call history for any number. Millions of users actually paid for this, only to receive fabricated data in the end.

In a post, the malware analysts write that the apps claim to be able to access and make available SMS histories and even WhatsApp call logs for any phone number. However, interested parties had to pay or subscribe for this. According to Eset, several million users of 28 such apps did just that. They were available for download on the Google Play Store, where they were downloaded and installed a total of around 7.3 million times. After being informed by the antivirus company, Google has now removed the apps.

The trigger was an app called “Call History of Any Number,” which had also published a list of alleged call history in its app store screenshots. These were also faked. An analysis by malware analysts revealed that the app generates random phone numbers, assigns them fixed names, times, and call durations from its source code. A payment was necessary to view the data.

The security company ESET recently exposed a network of 28 fraudulent applications that operated under a tempting premise: to give full access to call and SMS logs of any phone number. However, what these applications delivered was pure digital theater. Instead of accessing real databases or telecommunications networks, the code of these "apps" was programmed to generate names and numbers randomly.

To lend an air of plausibility to the scheme, the fraudsters included fixed names and predefined call durations in the source code, which were then randomly combined. The user saw a list that looked legitimate, but which was nothing more than a statistical combination of false data. The level of brazenness was such that the promotional screenshots in the Google Play Store even showed the fake code itself, trusting that the average user would not know how to interpret what they were seeing.

CallPhantom did not limit itself to displaying advertising; the main objective was to extort money directly. The applications required an upfront payment to release the supposed call “reports.” The situation became even more complicated because many of these titles managed to bypass Google's official billing system.

By using external payment methods — such as the UPI system, very popular in India, the main market for this attack — these applications prevented Google from processing automatic refunds after their removal. When the tech giant finally removed the 28 apps from the store, the money had already flown into accounts that were difficult to trace, leaving victims without the promised service and without their capital.

Psychological tactics to force subscription...The social engineering behind this group of apps was particularly aggressive. If a user installed the app and decided to leave without making the payment, the system would trigger a false alert. These notifications simulated the arrival of an urgent email, stating that the “requested call history was now available,” in an attempt to create a sense of urgency and curiosity that would lead the user to complete the financial transaction.

In addition, the criminals tried to disguise the common origin of the apps by using different designs and developer names. One of the most popular apps, for example, used the name “Indian gov.in” to convey a false sense of governmental authority, despite having no connection to official institutions.

How to identify these traps in the future...Although the applications have already been banned, this case serves as a warning about the importance of maintaining a critical spirit before clicking the install button. Here are some essential points to avoid becoming the next victim:

-Always read reviews carefully: In the case of CallPhantom, several users had already warned in the comments that the numbers were made up.

-Be wary of miraculous promises: Legally, no application is allowed to access the call history of third parties without explicit authorization or court orders.

-Check the payment method: If an application on the Play Store asks you to pay outside of the Google system, it is almost certainly a scam.

-Analyze the developer's name: Names that try to imitate official entities or that look like a random sequence of letters should be avoided.

The role of the App Defense Alliance in Android security...The discovery of these 28 applications was only possible thanks to the intervention of ESET, which is part of the App Defense Alliance. This partnership between Google and several cybersecurity companies serves as an extra layer of protection for the Android ecosystem, attempting to filter threats before they reach such massive installation numbers.

Despite these efforts, CallPhantom proved that, with a bit of appealing design and promises that play on human curiosity, scammers can still bypass Google's automatic filters. A word of warning: if a tool seems too powerful to be true or to be freely available in an official store, the most likely product is you—or, in this case, your bank account balance.

Eset researchers also provide a list of the 28 apps found and their hashes. The most popular was “Call history: any number deta” (calldetaila.ndcallhisto.rytogetan.ynumber) with over 3 million downloads, followed by Call History of Any Number (com.pixelxinnovation.manager) and Call Details of Any Number (com.app.call.detail.history), each with over a million downloads. Interested parties can use the list to check if they have installed the malware and then uninstall it.

Malware in smartphone app stores is not uncommon. Last August, for example, Zscaler's ThreatLabz found 77 malware apps with 19 million installations that delivered the Anatsa malware to phones. However, the “CallPhantom” campaign found now apparently contained no malware function; instead, the perpetrators simply exploited the victims' intrusive curiosity to trick them into making payments.

by mundophone

 

TECH

European minnows bid to challenge social media giants

A flurry of new schemes to launch Europe-based social networks faces a steep, rocky road to seduce users away from American and Asian giants in the sector.

Founders nevertheless see opportunity in the disillusionment and distrust of major platforms that have spiked alongside transatlantic tensions under Donald Trump's second presidency.

"We think the timing is perfect, in a context where relations between Europe and the US are still deteriorating," said Gregoire Vigroux, co-founder of Croatia-based network eYou.

"It's time for Europe to equip itself with its own social networks," he added.

Opening to users on Tuesday, eYou is one of a number of efforts on the old continent, including W—a would-be competitor to X announced in January—or Eurosky, a platform for accessing independent social networks launched last month.

Bulle (French for "bubble") also launched in January promising a "healthy social network" while Monnett—a hybrid of TikTok and Instagram—is set for full release in July.

"The rejection targeting the (American) platforms is still stronger today" than in the past, said Romain Badouard, a researcher at France's Inria computing institute specializing in social networks.

He suggested that a "conservative turn in Silicon Valley" had proved unpopular with European users seeing the likes of X owner Elon Musk or Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) chief Mark Zuckerberg cosying up to Trump.

'Enormous graveyard'...At W, "the idea is to bring back what was once Twitter in the good old days," said founder Anna Zeiter ahead of the Saturday launch. Some interest is apparent among investors and users in the new crop of networks.

In a second fundraising round, eYou garnered 300,000 euros ($353,000) in late 2025, while Monnett claims more than 65,000 users on the beta version of its app.

But such figures would be rounding errors to the giants of the sector, who count in hundreds of millions of users and billions in revenue.

The dominance of incumbent players has left little space for challenge beyond niche offerings like Mastodon or BeReal.

"The world of social networks is an enormous graveyard," eYou's Vigroux acknowledged, adding that "99% of European social networks launched in the last 10 years have fallen flat."

Badouard pointed to the so-called "network effect" that powered the snowballing of major platforms' user numbers as a factor now shielding them from competition.

For users on Instagram and TikTok, "all the people they know and the accounts they follow" are on the existing networks.

But the "technological maturity" of the latest wave of challengers could still count in their favor, he said.

"They're answering to a lot of the expectations users have," Badouard said.

Out of the algorithm?...There is a familiar litany of criticisms leveled at the big players, including sorting users into "filter bubbles," unevenly-enforced moderation and addictive design.

European would-be competitors see those as openings to vaunt their own virtues.

W promises to keep all but verified human users from posting, while eYou says it will "promote users sharing content considered trustworthy."

"It's really important for us that it's not an algorithm that determine what's on your screen, but yourself," said Christos Floros of Monnett, which is aiming to hit a million users this year.

Such commitments could steepen the path to profitability for the new arrivals, in a market where financial success is still largely determined by raking in advertising sales.

Zeiter said W would have "no crazy hyper-targeted advertising."

"Right now we are all trying out different business models and different approaches," she said.

"Maybe in one or two years we see what's most successful and then we can team up."

A new wave of European social media apps is emerging to challenge the dominance of American and Asian giants like Meta (Facebook/Instagram), TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter). Driven by a desire for digital sovereignty and increased dissatisfaction with current platforms, these European alternatives aim to offer safer, more transparent, and privacy-focused digital spaces.

Key players and their approaches (As of Early 2026)

-W Social (W): Positioned as an alternative to X, this Swedish-backed platform intends to "bring back the good old days" of social media. It focuses on verified human users, strictly opposing bots, and is launching in 2026 to fight disinformation.

-eYou: A Croatia-based network aiming to foster trustworthy content sharing.

-Monnett: A Luxembourg-based photo and video-sharing app launched in 2025, described as an Instagram alternative. It distinguishes itself by offering a chronological feed rather than algorithm-driven content and has gained over 65,000 users in its beta phase.

-Eurosky: More of an infrastructure than a single app, this initiative seeks to store user data natively in Europe, offering a foundation for sovereign social media.

-BeReal: A French-born photo-sharing app that pioneered the trend toward "unfiltered" daily content, growing significantly in popularity.

Why now? Drivers for a European wave:

-Disillusionment with giants: Growing fatigue over "filter bubbles," poor content moderation, and addictive design on US platforms.

-Data sovereignty & privacy: High distrust of US/Chinese companies (eight in ten Europeans) regarding personal data, leading to a preference for apps compliant with GDPR and hosted in Europe.

-Political timing: Increased "transatlantic tensions" are fueling the push for local alternatives.

-Legislative support: The EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA) are actively restricting the power of big tech, creating a more regulated environment for new entrants.

The uphill battle...Despite the optimism, these newcomers face a steep, "rocky road." The social media market is described as a "graveyard," where 99% of European startups have failed over the past decade.

-Scale problem: While European apps count users in the thousands, incumbents (like Facebook) have hundreds of millions in Europe, with 83.64% market share reported in 2026.

-Migration difficulty: Users are reluctant to leave established networks, as seen with the limited success of Mastodon and Bluesky in competing with X.

-Profitability: The new apps, which often rely on subscriptions or premium models (e.g., Monnett) rather than intensive ad-targeting, face challenges in competing with the immense ad revenues of Silicon Valley giants.

mundophone

 

STREAMING

Dexter: Resurrection season-What we know about the return

If you thought the dark passenger of television's most beloved serial killer had finally found his rest, you were completely wrong. Dexter: Resurrection proved to be the electric shock the franchise needed, and after a first season that kept fans glued to the screen, Paramount+ has already given the green light for a continuation. Production officially began in April 2026, and this time, the concrete jungle of New York is preparing to welcome new predators who promise to push Dexter Morgan and his son, Harrison, to the absolute limit.

Although Paramount+ hasn't yet stamped a specific date on the calendar for the premiere of the second season, the news coming from behind the scenes is very encouraging. Michael C. Hall himself used social media in April to confirm that the team is already in the field filming: “It’s happening. We have new guests and others returning, and we’re planning another mind-blowing ride,” the actor revealed.

Looking at the series' history, the first season took about six months to film and reached the public just one month after filming wrapped. Following this production logic, it's very likely that you'll be able to see the premiere of Dexter: Resurrection season 2 at the end of 2026. For now, it's still too early for an official trailer, as filming is still in its early stages, but details about who's joining the cast are already causing a stir.

The big bombshell of this season is, without a doubt, the confirmation of Brian Cox (the eternal Logan Roy from Succession) as a regular on the show. He will play Don Frampt, better known as the "New York Ripper." He's a legendary killer who terrorized the city decades ago and, although no longer active, finds pleasure in tormenting the survivors of his crimes.

Actor Desmond Harrington, who originally played Joey Quinn in the original “Dexter” series and appeared in two episodes of “Resurrection,” has been promoted to join the regular cast for the show’s second season.

A synopsis for the second season was also recently revealed: In Dexter: Resurrection, Dexter Morgan will be connected to two killers, one of whom is familiar to the audience and the other who is terrorizing New York in unexpected ways. At the same time, Dexter faces his most feared adversary: ​​a midlife crisis. Meanwhile, the character Harrison Morgan, played by Jack Alcott, continues his own quest for justice.

Other actors already confirmed to return to the series alongside Michael C. Hall will be: Uma Thurman as Charley, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine as Blessing Kamara, Kadia Saraf will take on the role of Detective Claudette Wallace, Dominic Fumusa will play Detective Melvin Oliva, and James Remar will be Harry Morgan, Dexter’s father. Bokeem Woodbine and Nona Parker Johnson will also be part of the regular cast.

In addition, it was previously announced that actor Brian Cox would be present in the second season, clarifying important questions left open in the first season. Cox will play Don Frampt, the "New York Ripper," a serial killer who terrorized the city years ago. Although no longer active, he has discovered a new way to preserve his fame, provoking the survivors of his past crimes.

Dan Stevens was also announced as the second major villain of the season. He will play Owen Stark, a killer similar to the Zodiac Killer, who challenges the police with phone calls threatening to kill innocents, and not only that, but also carrying out his threats, spreading terror throughout the city.

But one villain is never enough in Dexter's world. Dan Stevens also joins the party as Owen Stark, the "Five District Killer." Your character is described as someone inspired by the infamous Zodiac, who enjoys taunting the police with phone calls before committing heinous acts. Here are the key points you need to know about this new phase:

-Production started: Filming officially began in April 2026.

-New villains: Brian Cox and Dan Stevens are the big additions as rival assassins.

-Main cast: Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Jack Alcott (Harrison), and James Remar (Harry) are confirmed.

-Official synopsis: Dexter will face two new assassins while dealing with an unexpected midlife crisis.

-Future of the series: The creators already have detailed plans for at least a third season.

What the story holds for Dexter and Harrison...The official synopsis released by Paramount+ suggests that this will be the darkest chapter in the father-son relationship. Dexter Morgan now finds himself in a complex scenario, caught between his need for vigilante justice and a midlife crisis that threatens his usual precision. Meanwhile, Harrison continues his own quest for justice, trying to balance his dark side with the introduction of a new love interest, Fiona Mixon (played by Nona Parker Johnson).

Fiona is a trainee officer in the homicide unit and the daughter of Captain Mixon (Bokeem Woodbine), which puts Harrison—and consequently Dexter—dangerously close to the law's crosshairs. Uma Thurman's return as Charley also suggests that the escape from New York at the end of last season wasn't as definitive as it seemed.

Is there life beyond season two? Although we are currently focused on the episodes being filmed, creators Scott Reynolds and Clyde Phillips don't hide their ambition to go further. In recent interviews, they revealed that they presented Paramount+ with a structured plan for three seasons. "We already know what the arc for season 3 is and we even know who we would like to cast," stated Clyde Phillips.

Everything will depend, of course, on the audience's reception of this second year. With killers of Brian Cox's caliber on Dexter's trail and police pressure mounting at every turn, all the ingredients for a resounding success are there. If you enjoy a good psychological thriller with a generous dose of blood and moral dilemmas, the end of 2026 promises to be unforgettable. Now all that's left is for you to stay tuned for updates and get ready for the return of your favorite killer.

mundophone

TECH

Sunlitt: Follow the path of the sun and shadows anywhere in the world

Whether for photography, architecture, or planning a leisurely afternoon, Sunlitt uses augmented reality to predict the sun's position and shadow projection on any date and location.

Understanding the sun's path and how shadows are projected is essential for various activities, from planning an architectural project to choosing the ideal setting for photography. Sunlitt simplifies this task through an elegant and intuitive interface, allowing you to track the sun's path in real time or predict its exact position on any date and geographical location, even without internet access.

The great advantage of this application lies in the effective use of Augmented Reality. By pointing the iPhone at the sky, the user visualizes the solar trail projected onto the real image, making it easier to choose the perfect moment to capture an image or to check the solar exposure of an object. The shadow map is another powerful tool, which helps predict how light interacts with buildings and other obstacles throughout the day.

For photography and video enthusiasts, Sunlitt serves as a valuable assistant, offering accurate data on so-called "magic hours," such as the "golden hour" and the "blue hour" (both around sunrise and sunset). Furthermore, the app seamlessly integrates with the Apple ecosystem, providing detailed widgets for the lock screen and Apple Watch.

Recognized for its excellence in design and user experience, Sunlitt works entirely offline, making it ideal for explorers in remote areas. The app is available for free on the App Store, with an optional Pro version that unlocks advanced features such as integrated weather forecasts and detailed astronomical events.

Augmented Reality (AR)...With Sunlitt’s AR mode, you can see how sunlight moves through your actual surroundings. Walk around and visualize where the sun will rise, how it will travel across the sky, and where shadows will fall — not just today, but for any date or season.

It’s ideal for checking natural light through windows, planning shade in your garden, or scouting outdoor shots — all from your iPhone or iPad. 

Shadow Map...Visualize how shadows move through space, hour by hour and season by season. With Sunlitt’s Shadow Map, you can see how buildings, streets, and city blocks cast shadows at any time and date.

It’s ideal for planning natural light in dense urban areas — whether you’re designing a space, photographing architecture, or just checking when your balcony gets sun.

Landform Shadows...With Sunlitt’s new Landform Shadows, you can explore how natural terrain — like mountains, hills, and valleys — affects light and shade across the day and through the seasons.

It’s a powerful tool for architects working in complex environments, filmmakers scouting outdoor locations, or anyone planning with sunlight in real-world landscapes.

Solar info, even offline...Sunlitt provides accurate, location-based timings for major solar events, including sunrise, sunset, golden hour, blue hour, first light, and last light.

Most features, including solar event timings, work even without an internet connection—so you can plan sun paths, check shadows, and view sun event times anywhere, even off-grid.

Widgets, Live Activities & more...Stay in sync with the sun — without even opening the app.

Sunlitt puts the sun’s key moments where you need them: on your Lock Screen, Home Screen, and wrist.

Moreover, you can track golden hour and blue hour as they happen with Live Activity. Or check your Apple Watch for sun position and key sun events — quick, clear, and always in sync.

Sunlitt is a popular solar tracking app, used by over 200,000 people, that helps photographers, architects, and enthusiasts visualize the sun's position and project shadows in real time using Augmented Reality (AR). Available for Apple devices, it maps the sun's path, golden hours, and shadows for any location and date.

Key features of Sunlitt:

Augmented Reality (AR): Overlays the sun's path and shadows onto the camera view, useful even on cloudy days.

Shadow Prediction: Allows you to plan photo shoots or events by anticipating the exact position of shadows.

Solar Events: Provides accurate times for sunrise, sunset, golden hour, blue hour, and twilight.

3D Exploration: Includes a 3D sun dial and maps (satellite, relief) to track the sun's movement throughout the year.

Apple Devices: Available for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.

mundophone

DIGITAL LIFE

Bizarre tech world: Why is the tech industry obsessed with showing off its good taste?

Last week, Palantir, an American company specializing in data analysis and government contracts, put 420 work jackets on sale for $239 each. The garment, produced in Montana with a design inspired by early 20th-century workers' clothing, sold out in hours. The launch is part of a broader movement that has been transforming the relationship between the tech industry and the fashion world, according to The Guardian.

OpenAI maintains an online store with t-shirts and items with a visual identity reminiscent of 1990s websites, in line with an aesthetic trend that values ​​the aesthetics of the pre-corporate internet. Anthropic, in turn, partnered with Air Mail, a digital newsletter aimed at a high-income audience, to hold temporary events in New York and London.

What does it mean that tech bros, once proudly unstylish, have turned their attention to fashion? According to Kyle Chayka in the New Yorker, they are trying to give themselves a veneer of the artisanal, as if personal taste can give your company an edge. “We might call what’s going on now ‘taste-washing,’ an attempt to give anti-humanist technologies a veneer of liberal humanism,” Chakya writes. Much of this is self-serving: tech and finance prognosticators talk up the importance of their finely honed human instincts yet are happy to have everything around them automated into oblivion.

A greater interest in such things is not necessarily bad. Why should Jeremy Allen White or Fergus Henderson or customers of The Row be the only people entitled to wear a chore jacket? There is a world in which the desire to prioritise human discernment in the face of overwhelming automation is positive. But when it comes to tech behemoths, we have a hunch where this leads: hoarding and optimising for their financial benefit.

Tech’s drive for taste could be fleeting; witness how quickly the industry ditched notions of social justice once it no longer suited it. And when it moves on to the next fad, matters of style and cool will continue in ineffable ways that can’t be optimised or defined only by wealth. And, lest we forget, we don’t have to buy what they’re selling.

Bill Cunningham, the fashion and street style photographer who died in 2016, was a lifelong wearer of the classic blue chore coat. In the lovely 2010 documentary Bill Cunningham: New York, he demurred on the merits of his own style, but clearly he had an eye for what looked interesting. He also explained why he gravitated towards the jackets, which he discovered in Paris, where he saw street-sweepers wearing them: they were cheap, washable and functional, with three big pockets. “And I thought the colour was nice.”

The Met Gala as a barometer...At the Metropolitan Museum of Art's annual ceremony in New York, held earlier this month, the presence of major technology companies was notable. Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, donated US$10 million to the event, which raised a record US$42 million this year. Mark Zuckerberg of Meta and Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, were also present, along with executives from TikTok, Instagram, Snap, and Slack. OpenAI, Meta, and Snap purchased tables for at least US$350,000 each.

Zuckerberg spearheaded one of the most documented image transformations in the industry: he traded his gray sweatshirt for shirts from the American brand Bode and, months before the Met Gala, occupied the front row of the Prada show in Milan.

Cultural capital as a brand strategy...The phenomenon has a name among cultural analysts: "taste-washing," that is, the use of good taste as a veneer to soften the public perception of companies associated with ethical and legal controversies. The concept was described by journalist Kyle Chayka in the New Yorker magazine as "an attempt to give anti-humanist technologies an appearance of liberal humanism."

Technology companies today compete not only for market share but also for cultural legitimacy, especially in the face of increasing regulations, copyright lawsuits, and public distrust of the social impact of artificial intelligence. Associating themselves with the world of fashion and design is a way to build a more palatable image without altering the core of the business.

Palantir itself summarized this stance in a statement. The executive responsible for launching the jacket stated that the garment reflects the company's commitment to the "reindustrialization of America"—and denied any political connotation.

The tech industry's obsession with showing off "good taste"—defined as a refined sense of design, human judgment, and cultural sophistication—is a strategic pivot designed to differentiate products, justify immense valuation, and differentiate human-led creation from AI-generated content. This trend is not merely about aesthetics; it is an attempt to create a "moat" around tech products, making them feel premium, trustworthy, and distinctly human in an era where AI is rapidly commodifying functionality.

Key reasons for the taste obsession(below):

Taste as the New Moat (1.2.8): As generative AI democratizes production, making it easy to create decent software, taste becomes the key differentiator. It's the ability to recognize high-quality work, make better strategic decisions, and create products that resonate emotionally.

"Taste-Washing" AI: There is an effort to give "anti-humanist" technologies a "veneer of liberal humanism," a phenomenon critics call "taste-washing". It's a way for tech firms to make AI feel more personal, artistic, and safe

A Reaction to Generic Content: AI can produce infinite, generic, or "tasteslop" content. Human-curated "good taste" is being positioned as a rare, premium skill that can navigate, filter, and add value to an otherwise polluted online ecosystem.

Cultural Capital and Status: The tech sector is trying to claim the cultural capital usually reserved for fashion, art, or elite, high-end lifestyles (e.g., fashion-adjacent clothing like The Row). This acts as a status signal that the company understands culture rather than just building soulless machinery.

Anxiety and Validation: This obsession reflects deep anxiety about whether tech economic capital can adequately capture cultural relevance. It's a search for validation that tech leaders are "cool" or "sophisticated" rather than just efficient producers of code.

mundophone

APPLE

iPhone 18 Pro (Max): More of the same

The launch of the iPhone 18 Pro line is approaching, and several sources have already indicated some changes we should see in the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max compared to their predecessors.

The first novelty should be the new Dark Cherry color for the entire line, followed by the new physical Camera Control button instead of a capacitive (touch-sensitive) one.

The change in this element reflects the price of other iPhone 18 Pro components, such as RAM, which have become more expensive this year, forcing Apple to reduce manufacturing costs on other items to avoid raising the price of the phone.

Speaking of the camera, the iPhone 18 Pro should have a new 48-megapixel main camera with variable aperture, which will give the user greater control in Pro mode and increase photo and video performance in different lighting conditions.

Moving on to the screen, ftp claims that the iPhone 18 will have a Dynamic Island display that is 25% smaller, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max battery will increase in capacity from 4,823mAh to 5,200mAh.

There have been talks of a small redesign for the front of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. None of it is official, but there are numerous reports that all but confirm the design change, and that’s to do with the dynamic island. It is going to be much smaller than the current generation. A credible leaker has now shared, with confidence, what the final design for the iPhone 18 Pro will be.

The leaker in question is Jon Prosser from fpt (Front Page Tech), who, in his latest YouTube video, showed off what he believes is the final design for the iPhone 18 Pro. It shows a small dynamic island that is said to be around 25% smaller than the iPhone 17 Pro. That’s about all the redesign entails for the front of the phone.

The leaker also reiterates that variable aperture will be coming to the primary sensor on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. The new Dark Cherry color will be part of the lineup, in line with previous leaks, and the Camera Control button will be nerfed due to budget constraints. It will be only pressure sensitive without the capacitive element.

Lastly, Prosser mentions that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a larger 5,200 mAh battery, and both the Pro models will come with the new C2 modem, along with 5G via satellite.

Recently, it was reported that while there will be several updates coming with the iPhone 18 series, the build, however, will remain the same. Apple is said to be sticking with aluminum for this upcoming generation, which is a bit disappointing considering the durability issues.

Maintaining a feature criticized by users... Apple plans to keep the controversial aluminum finish on the iPhone 18 Pro, which goes against market expectations, as many users have complained about the fragility of the material in the current generation. The one-piece, hot-forged design introduced in the iPhone 17 Pro has caused headaches for buyers of the brand, as the casing scratches and peels very easily with daily use.

An informant known on the social network Weibo by the nickname Fixed Focus Digital revealed that, although paint wear has become a fairly common complaint, Apple refuses most repair requests on the grounds that the problem is just a normal characteristic of wear and tear on the aluminum alloy. In addition, the manufacturer will maintain this design approach in the next generation of premium cell phones.

The company abandoned titanium frames last year to return to using aluminum, now in a single body of anodized metal. Durability problems appeared soon after launch, because the dark blue and cosmic orange versions scratch much more easily than the other options. The rear camera assembly proved to be the weakest point of the entire design, as the raised, unpolished edges quickly peel off upon contact with keys and coins in a pocket.

Another visual flaw emerged weeks after its market debut, when some units of the orange model began to change color on their own. The device's frame unexpectedly adopted a pinkish hue, forcing the brand's technical support to replace the affected phones.

New colors on the way...Recent rumors indicate that the iPhone 18 Pro will arrive on the market in four color options: dark cherry, light blue, dark gray, and silver. The cherry color is expected to be the highlight of the new generation, as it offers a more muted and discreet wine tone than the flashy orange of the previous year. According to rumors, Apple is not expected to offer a black version for the second consecutive year, but the gray variant promises to deliver a very similar alternative for fans of dark tones.

The official announcement of the iPhone 18 Pro line is expected to take place in September 2026. The presentation will also serve as the stage for the highly anticipated unveiling of Apple's first foldable phone in history.

mundophone