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The Atlanta rapper is hitting the road in support of 2023’s A Great ChaosView the full article

The event returns to the Empire Polo Club in California next AprilView the full article

The rapper was a late addition to the California festival’s second weekendView the full article

Our weekly playlist highlights songs that our writers, editors, and contributors are listening to on repeatView the full article

Yorke will share his full soundtrack to the Daniele Luchetti film this weekView the full article

Tierra Whack, Arooj Aftab, Kae Tempest, Sega Bodega, billy woods, Empress Of, Shame, Mabe Fratti, Moor Mother, and many others will perform at the festivals in NovemberView the full article

Mary J. Blige, Ozzy Osbourne, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, and Kool & the Gang round out the performer inductees, with Jimmy Buffett, Big Mama Thornton, MC5, and others receiving special honorsView the full article

The Toronto rapper also praises Taylor Swift effusively on his “Taylor Made Freestyle”View the full article

Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles co-star with Swift and Malone in the first Tortured Poets Department music videoView the full article

Find out when to catch Lana Del Rey, Tyler, the Creator, Doja Cat, No Doubt, Kid Cudi, and moreView the full article

A newly released report alleges Big Tech's ad transparency tools are failing across the board — with X scoring the worst at providing meaningful data that can help users, journalists, and advocates keep a watchful eye on scams and disinformation. If "ad transparency" isn't a familiar term, that's probably because it's a somewhat counterintuitive concept. With TV ads, you generally know the sponsor — it's announced front and center. Digital ads are more slippery. Even when the fact that something is an ad is disclosed, exactly who is advertising what, and why still may not be clear. If a platform fails to provide robust digital ad transparency information to those who request it, it's harder to track hoaxes and scrutinize sketchy or scammy ad practices. SEE ALSO: The return of political campaign ads to X/Twitter raises important questions for users A report 'stress-testing' tech platforms' ad repositoriesThe digital survey was conducted by Mozilla and CheckFirst, a software solutions company providing tools to counter and monitor disinformation. It analyzed a dozen ad transparency tools created by tech platforms to aid advertising monitors, including those on X, TikTok, LinkedIn, Alphabet’s Google Search, and Meta and Apple sites. Using guidelines from the European Union’s 2023 Digital Services Act (DSA) and Mozilla's in-house ad library guidelines, the organizations scanned the platforms' ad repositories for things like public availability, the contents of advertisements, payer details, and user targeting details. "Ad transparency tools are essential for platform accountability — a first line of defense, like smoke detectors," said Mozilla EU advocacy lead Claire Pershan. "But our research shows most of the world’s largest platforms are not offering up functionally useful ad repositories. The current batch of tools exist, yes — but in some cases, that’s about all that can be said about them.” Not one of the analyzed advertising repositories tested well, and few if any were easy to find to begin with. Before researchers can even begin testing whether ad transparency measures are accurate, they must wade through incompatible, opaque services, the report explains. X stood out as the worst scorer on data accessibility and search capabilities, only providing watchdogs with a single CSV file. "X’s transparency tools are an utter disappointment," explained Pershan. "Its repository offers no filtering and sorting capabilities; ads can only be accessed through a cumbersome CSV export file; the content of ads is not disclosed (only a URL to the ads), and there are gaps in targeting parameters and recipient data. And searching for historical content is nearly impossible. All this may be why the European Commission has included X’s ad repository in its formal proceedings against the platform under the DSA." The report also found common, glaring gaps in ad transparency tools across the board, including: Ads missing from repositories that were visible to users. Inconsistent public access to ad information. Poor search functions impeding ad oversight. Another concerning fact: "Only a handful of the platforms analyzed have a repository for branded or influencer content, even though many allow for influencer content on their services," the researchers report. SEE ALSO: AI might be influencing your vote this election. How to spot and respond to it. The ups and downs of the advertising landscape These figures are especially worrisome in a contentious election year, one that is already stoking fear about intentional disinformation campaigns, the role of AI, and the influence of Big Tech leaders on candidate advertising and voter awareness. Last year, X CEO Elon Musk announced the site was reversing its previous election policy banning political advertising from campaigns and political parties. Disinformation watch dogs went on alert immediately. Other platforms, like Meta and Google, have added new advertising policies ahead of the election to assuage generative AI threats. Advertising across Big Tech platforms has become a hot-button topic in a sporadically regulated industry. On sites like TikTok and X, ads are crowding out user-generated content. In June 2023, Google's advertising business came under fire from both the U.S. government and the European Union, accused of violating both unions' antitrust laws. In recent months, Google has amped up its advertising scrutiny, most recently announcing a ban on ads that feature fake endorsements, an apparent response to a Mashable investigation. But there's been a positive shift along this bumpy road: In the five years since Mozilla and a panel of independent researchers released its advertising API guidelines in 2019, 11 of the world’s largest tech companies have introduced ad repositories. According to the report, both Google and Facebook have since updated their services with ad targeting criteria, engagement and historical data, and better filtering. "Who pays for ads and how they’re targeted is crucial in helping watchdogs look out for the public interest — whether that's fair elections, public health, or social justice," said co-founder and chief technology officer for CheckFirst Amaury Lesplingart. "In short, if you see an ad telling you that climate change is a hoax, you might be interested to know if that ad’s paid for by the fossil fuel industry." View the full article

Arcadian actors Jaeden Martell and Maxwell Jenkins sit down for a game of "Slash or Pass" with Mashable entertainment editor Kristy Puchko. Arcadian hits theaters April 12, 2024. View the full article

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: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for April 16 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for April 16 Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, April 16, 2024: AcrossThere are 10 in this puzzleThe answer is clues. Try to sack, as a quarterbackThe answer is runat. With 8-Across, post-touchdown attemptThe answer is extra. See 7-AcrossThe answer is point. Lock of hairThe answer is tress. DownMoved stealthilyThe answer is crept. Las Vegas hotel shaped like a pyramidThe answer is Luxor. Remove, as a stringThe answer is untie. Makes on the jobThe answer is earns. Fodder for a sports wonkThe answer is stats. View the full article

Not only is the orgasm gap between men and women real — so is the research gap. Women's health lacks research funding, according to science journal Nature, and there are many more studies about "male ejaculation" than "female orgasm" on the PubMed database (1,980 pages of results for the former, and 438 pages for the latter). Flo Health, a women's health app with over 60 million global users, is hoping to bridge that gap. Today, Flo launches a worldwide study of female orgasms. In partnership with adjunct professor of clinical psychology and health psychology at the University of Utah, Jordan Rullo, Flo will assess anonymized insights from tens of thousands of women, according to the app's press release. Rullo is also Flo's medical expert and cerified sex therapist. SEE ALSO: Why you can orgasm from masturbation but struggle to come during sex Flo's study is open to most app users who are 18 and over and use the app in English, according to Flo Health's director of science, Dr. Liudmila Zhaunova. Users can self-report on their sexual behaviors, experiences, lifestyle factors, and their demographic. "Flo's science team will meticulously analyze the results over a three-month timeframe to better understand women's sexual practices and how these, and their personal circumstances, relate to sexual pleasure, orgasms, and sexual satisfaction," Zhaunova told Mashable. The current largest orgasm study survey — about the differences in orgasm frequency among different populations, published in 2017 — had around 25,000 female participants, Zhaunova said. Because Flo has over 60 million users, Zhaunova and the Flo team are aiming to recruit a globally representative audience of over 25,000 respondents. If they succeed, this would be the largest global study of female orgasms to date. This study, and more education about women's pleasure, is sorely needed. Sex education in the U.S. and elsewhere is lacking: As of 2023, only 18 states require sex ed to be medically accurate, according to the Guttmacher Institute. In the UK, LGBTQ sex education is under threat by conservatives. Previous surveys from Flo indicate the need for more education on the topic. Nearly one-third, 30 percent, of women aged 18 to 55 falsely believe that the more sex one has, the "looser" their vagina becomes (according to a survey of 2,000 women in the U.S.). Fifteen percent wrongly think masturbation can make their period come faster — while 18 percent overall and 30 percent who identify as conservative consider masturbation itself to be shameful or wrong. Twelve percent simply assume new information they learn about sex and reproduction is accurate, and don't take extra steps to confirm it's true; 43 percent go to Google or another search engine to confirm if this info is accurate. We're uneducated and yet we want our sex lives to improve. In another survey, this one of 2,100 U.S. women aged 18 to 45, 30 percent want to improve their sex life. Among those, 60 percent want to improve how they communicate their desires. But, 66 percent don't think their male partner has a good understanding of their reproductive health. Flo has surveyed men as well. Just above half, 51 percent, think they have a good understanding of the female body — but they haven't heard of the orgasm gap. Nineteen percent go to porn to learn about the female body, while 18 percent learn from YouTube or Reddit. Over half don't think the sex ed they received as teens was sufficient, in a survey of 1,800 U.S. men aged 18 to 50 conducted in August 2023. SEE ALSO: Top 5 NSFW sites to learn what porn didn't teach you Results from this new survey are expected this summer, said Flo Health senior research scientist and medical writer, Dr. Yella Hewings-Martin. Flo isn't the first app to study women's orgasms. Lioness, a smart vibrator that gathers opt-in data, released Pleasure Wrapped at the end of 2023. Lioness found that orgasms lasted 24.01 seconds on average, and the typical masturbation session was around five minutes. Lioness, however, focused on data obtained by usage of its smart sex toy. Flo will rely on self-reported survey data from thousands of women. "We hope that the results of our study will enhance women's understanding of navigating their sexual experiences and pleasure, supported by real-life data from peers worldwide," said Zhaunova in Flo's press release. "This year, we look forward to helping close this glaring research gap and aim to contribute toward improving the sexual experiences of millions of women around the world." View the full article

ChatGPT vs. Gemini is the AI showdown I've been itching to stage – and now I’m finally pitting the most popular chatbots in a head-to-head, nail-biting match. ChatGPT, a brainchild of AI startup OpenAI, is far from the first AI chatbot to hit mainstream popularity, but I’d argue it was the first in recent years to kick off a fierce AI race. After it launched in November 2022, its traffic peaked at a whopping 1.8 billion users, according to analytics firm Similarweb (via TheWrap). Soon after, a proliferation of AI began. From Snapchat AI and Meta AI to Samsung Galaxy AI and X’s Grok, it seemed like there was a chatbot launching every day. However, only one seems to be a true ChatGPT rival: Google Gemini (formerly Google Bard). Like Microsoft-backed ChatGPT, Gemini is supported by one of the most prominent tech giants — and has plenty of rich data to tap into, including Google Maps, Google Search, Google Translate, and more. But the question is, does Gemini beat ChatGPT? We put both to the test in a five-round match. SEE ALSO: I spent a week using AI tools in my daily life. Here's how it went. ChatGPT vs. Gemini: MethodologyI used ChatGPT and Gemini's free tiers for this showdown. I tested both AI chatbots using the same question across the following five topics: food, finance, travel, creativity, and historical information. Ding, ding, ding! Let’s see who wins. Round 1: FoodBased on what's in my kitchen, let's see which AI chatbot can offer the best recipe suggestion. Here's my prompt: I have the following in my kitchen: green plantains, whole-grain linguine and rotini, garlic, onion, granulated chicken bouillon, kidney beans, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, soy sauce, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, lime, lemon, tomatoes, spring onions, carrots, butter, milk, oil, garlic powder, salt, cumin, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Name one recipe I can make that uses as much as these ingredients as possible. ChatGPT's response Credit: Mashable / ChatGPT Gemini's response Credit: Mashable / ChatGPT I may be biased because I have a Caribbean background, but Gemini's recipe suggestion sounds far tastier. ChatGPT's recommendation, however, seems a bit haphazard. The veggies in my kitchen don't seem ideal for stir fry — at least, not for my picky taste. Winner: Gemini Round 2: FinancesUsing a fictitious person called "Joe," I used the following financial-focused prompt for ChatGPT and Gemini: Joe makes $3,000 a month (after taxes) in Brooklyn, New York in 2024. Between housing, transportation, groceries, dining out, savings (retirement), and disposable income, create a monthly budget chart. ChatGPT's response ChatGPT will have Joe eating Ramen every month. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Gemini's response Gemini's response seems a little more realistic. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable To be fair, this is a head-scratching conundrum. Even humans struggle with creating a monthly budgets for themselves, particularly those with five-figure yearly incomes in high-cost-of-living cities. As such, it's no wonder that ChatGPT and Gemini botched their responses. I couldn't help but exclaim "Huh?!" after reading ChatGPT's chart. Why is it carving out a budget for rent that is higher than the allotted $3,000? I'd also argue that $177 for transportation too low, but I'm willing to look the other way if Joe is a remote worker (or owns a bicycle or scooter). Plus, spending less than $90 a week on groceries would be quite the challenge. I'd probably allocate more dining out and retirement money for supermarket shopping. Although Gemini's $1,050 monthly rent suggestion is laughable, with a roommate (or two), it's feasible. There's too much in the transportation budget, particularly for someone with access to public transportation. I would cut down some of that and add it to groceries pool. Dining out could use a reduction, but the rest is tolerable. Winner: Gemini Round 3: TravelI used ChatGPT for a trip to Costa Rica — and it failed miserably. I don't have any upcoming vacations, but I asked ChatGPT and Gemini to create a weekend itinerary for my local area. It's Saturday and I live in Valley Stream. I want to have an active, adventurous day with lots of entertainment. Create an itinerary for me from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Start with breakfast at the best spot in Valley Stream and end with dinner at the best spot in Valley Stream. ChatGPT's response Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Gemini's response Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Save for Valley Stream State Park, all of ChatGPT's suggestions are out of town. I also specifically stated that I did not want lunch included in the itinerary, but it deliberately disobeyed me. Oh well. On the plus side, Frank's Steaks sounds very delicious. Gemini, on the other hand, listed locations that are actually in town, including Valbrook Diner and Ben's Crab. However, there's a four-hour gap in the itinerary. Am I supposed to just twiddle my thumbs between rock climbing and dinner? Also, it seems like Gemini completely made up "Rockaway Adventure Zone" — I can't seem to find this establishment via Google. Winner: Draw Round 4: CreativityLet's test ChatGPT and Gemini's creativity. In the voice of Eminem, tell me how TikTok is affecting society. ChatGPT's response Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Gemini's response Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Gemini has the better response. It has a flow that is more reminiscent of the "Lose Yourself" rapper. Plus, the expletives are very on brand. Winner: Gemini Round 5: Historical factsI thought it'd be interesting to test ChatGPT and Gemini's accuracy with fashion history. Which decade was it fashionable and popular to wear one's name on a chunky statement belt? ChatGPT's response You finally got it right, ChatGPT. Congratulations. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Gemini's response Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Finally, ChatGPT prevailed over Gemini in this round. The answer I'm looking for is early 2000s. Winner: ChatGPT ChatGPT vs. Gemini: Which is the winner?The clear winner of this five-round match is Gemini. In three rounds, Google AI chatbot provided better answers. However, if you ever need any help with fashion history, ChatGPT's your best bet, I guess. View the full article