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Credit: Arturo Homes/Getty Images for Meta Miami Art Week recently witnessed a revolutionary blend of technology and music as Austin Millz, recognized not only as a prolific artist/producer, but also a true pioneer in his craft, collaborated with Meta for the Meta Sonic Listening Party alongside 10x Grammy-nominated artist Victoria Monét. This dynamic event, aligned with Meta’s “It’s Your World” campaign, delivered a unique and immersive experience that left the city buzzing. Austin Millz is incredibly talented both on stage and in the studio, especially on the keys, which is part of what made this so special. During the event, Austin demonstrated the capabilities of the Meta Quest 3 by teaching Victoria how to play the piano using the innovative PianoVision feature. This live demonstration added an interactive element to the experience, creating a first-of-its-kind mixed reality jam session that blurred the lines between the virtual and the real. MIAMI, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 09: Victoria Monét and Austin Millz playing on PianoVision with Meta Quest 3 at the Meta Sonic Listening Party during Miami Art Week on December 09, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Meta) Following the success of last year’s viral Meta House experience, Meta transformed Miami Art Week into a mixed-reality playground, providing a platform for emerging artists, musicians, and creators to redefine the future of creative expression. The “It’s Your World” campaign brought together a diverse array of talents to showcase the limitless possibilities of mixed reality across various experiences throughout the city, making it only fitting that Austin was involved. We had the opportunity to chat with Austin about this experience and what’s ahead, check it out below! Collaborating with Victoria Monét in a mixed-reality jam session is an innovative approach. How did the idea for this come about, and what excites you most about merging technology with live musical performances? Austin Millz: I think merging live music with technology is the future, whether you’re collaborating in the studio or collaborating in real time and real life. I think what just happened this past weekend was the first of its kind. I think it’s going to pave the way for newer events of this nature and push the boundaries of creativity. Meta had the right idea with the Meta Sonic Listening party and this experience. It was great. During the session, you used PianoVision on Meta Quest 3 to teach Victoria Monét how to play the piano. Can you share more about the creative process behind incorporating virtual reality into a live music experience, and how it enhances the learning and collaboration aspects of the performance? Austin: For sure. Just knowing how to intertwine and really know how to navigate technology is one helpful thing. But Meta Quest and the PianoVision technology is so user friendly that honestly, it’s half and half, the technology is so amazing that it can really allow the user to feel comfortable. It gives that real IRL effect of having somebody in person helping you, but the technology is so amazing that having a person there too is not essential, but it helps to have somebody there just for that real life aspect. This new technology is so captivating and innovative that you can just really be hands-on with it. The Meta Sonic Listening Party is part of Meta’s “It’s Your World.” campaign, celebrating the next generation’s creative expression. How does your collaboration with Meta align with this campaign, and how do you see technology influencing the future of music and art? Austin Millz: I think Meta is really pushing the envelope in terms of innovation. For me, I’m using Meta everyday—whether it’s Facebook or Instagram, and it’s just really allowing me to have my music across the world. It’s allowing me to touch different audiences, and allowing me to just really take my creativity to new heights. I’m super excited for the new technology, because I think it’s going to take it to a whole other new level. The “It’s Your World.” campaign has allowed me to create my own world with Meta. As a creator yourself, how do you personally leverage Meta’s products or immersive technology in your creative process? And how do you think these tools can inspire and assist other artists in pushing boundaries and exploring new avenues in their work? Austin Millz: I’m super excited to see what I’m going to do with them. I already have so many different ideas, even with the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, I’m definitely going to use those during my live shows. I can capture content and really have the user or the audience or people watching my content feel like they’re at a live show. That’s something that I’m really looking forward to. There’s so many things in terms of the apps too that are in Meta Quest 3 that you can just really be hands-on with, and have things be really accessible and just really be able to learn things that you never thought you could before, because Meta’s going to allow you to be hands-on with the technology. Whatever age you are, it’s going to allow you to feel like you’re getting there. I think Meta is allowing the average consumer to really be hands-on with anything they want to create their own world. How do you see events like the Meta Sonic Listening Party contributing to the intersection of art, technology, music, and what impact do you hope that these experiences will have on the creative community overall? Austin Millz: I would love for it to just expand people’s thoughts. There’s people that are still on the fence about using this technology or AI, and I hope that the Meta Sonic Listening Party experience could move people one step closer to express their thoughts and really live a little, and take a risk in allowing themselves to embrace this new technology. That’s the way of the future, so I feel like Meta is really leading the force with this next wave of technology. I hope that users who had second thoughts about using it can now go, “You know what? Let me just embrace this and embrace the future.” How have the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses played a role in your day-to-day creative process or interactions? Austin Millz: Honestly, like I said earlier, it’s really something that I’m looking forward to using at my live shows. It’s an easier way to capture content for something that I could have been using another device for but instead I can just have the glasses on my face, recording live. Like I said, it is an easier way to use technology in a way that hasn’t been done before. Anything else that you would like to share with the YourEDM readers? Austin Millz: Yes. I’m going on a headline tour in 2024 end of February until June. Go get your tickets on AustinMillz.com and, yeah, I want to see you all at a show soon! Happy New Year! MIAMI, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 09: Austin Millz on stage at the Meta Sonic Listening Party during Miami Art Week on December 09, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Meta) This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Austin Millz Speaks About His Partnership With Meta + Joining Victoria Monét at Miami Art Week for Meta Sonic Listening Party View the full article

The British actor goes on a post-breakup adventure in a short for the Hackney Diamonds songView the full article

A Santa-themed spin on their Topical Dancer track “Haha”View the full article

In July 2022, popular IPTV service provider SmoothStreams suddenly went offline in somewhat unusual circumstances. In the weeks that followed, evidence emerged that the Canada-based service had been targeted after Bell Media, Rogers Media, Disney, Paramount, Columbia, and Warner Bros. filed a copyright infringement complaint at Canada’s Federal Court. On July 14, 2022, after obtaining an injunction and an Anton Piller order, which authorized the plaintiffs to search and seize evidence from premises linked to the defendants, dozens of receivers, encoders, and rows of servers were seized from three locations. Other aspects of the Anton Piller order, which granted the plaintiffs extraordinary powers and threatened serious consequences for any non-compliant defendant, faced considerable resistance. SmoothStreams before being dismantled Among other things, the alleged operators of SmoothStreams, Marshall Macciacchera and Antonio Macciacchera (son and father respectively), were required to disclose specific technical and financial information about the service’s operations. Marshall failed to fully comply with the order; Antonio simply refused to read it. From the beginning, Antonio denied any involvement in the SmoothStreams operation, a position he maintains today. Contempt of Court While both defendants faced contempt of court proceedings, Antonio’s case progressed more quickly than his co-defendant’s. An order issued by Associate Judge Benoit Duchesne on July 21, 2022, concerned ten charges pertaining to alleged breaches of the Anton Piller order issued by Justice Rochester on June 28, 2022. Chief Justice Paul S. Crampton subsequently found that Antonio was in contempt of four of the ten charges in that order. The final six all faced issues. In respect of five charges, Chief Justice Crampton found that while the plaintiffs had previously tendered evidence in the proceeding before Justice Rochester, no evidence was presented in this particular hearing to connect Antonio to any of the technical and financial information listed in Judge Duchesne’s order. The final charge also failed after no evidence was produced to show that Antonio concealed anything described in Justice Rochester’s interim order. While logic suggests that four charges must be better than ten, contempt of court can be expensive, especially since this proceeding relates to an amount to be awarded to the plaintiffs, with the Court to impose additional penalties later. Bell, Rogers, and Hollywood Studios Demand Big Money As detailed in an order handed down by Chief Justice Crampton on Friday, the plaintiffs demanded an immediate payment of CAD$121,124.74 (US$90,440), comprised of $100,038.55 (US$74,695) in legal fees (100% of those incurred), HST (sales tax) of CAD$8,670 (US$6,473), and disbursements of CAD$12,416.19 (US$9,270). Antonio’s legal team proposed a much lower amount of CAD$10,000 (US$7,466) in total, arguing that the amount was appropriate in light of the six failed charges and any subsequent amount to be imposed by the Court. In his order, Chief Justice Crampton notes that Antonio continues to insist he had no role in SmoothStreams. Nevertheless, the plaintiffs and the Court still had to “come to grips with a complex record” and an allegedly illegal business Justice Lafrenière previously described as “highly sophisticated” and “lucrative.” While agreeing that the plaintiffs’ failure to present evidence amounted to a “misstep” weighing in favor of a reduced award, a pro rata 60% reduction would not be appropriate since persistent refusals to cooperate “completely frustrated” the execution of the order. “Flagrantly Disobeyed” and “Defied the Court” “[B]y steadfastly refusing to permit the Independent Supervising Solicitor (ISS) […] to enter his home and execute the Rochester Interim Order, Antonio flagrantly disobeyed that Order and defied the Court. “He also completely frustrated an important purpose of that Order, which was to prevent the circumvention of the Court’s processes by pre-empting the destruction or removal of evidence, or the shifting of funds beyond the Court’s reach,” Chief Justice Crampton’s order reads. “In these circumstances, he ought not to be able to indirectly and fully benefit from the fact that his blatant defiance of the Rochester Interim Order entirely prevented [the ISS] from establishing the nexus between Antonio and the six charges.” After weighing the factors for and against, including that Antonio “deliberately deprived the plaintiffs of the element of surprise,” the Judge found that a 25% reduction would be appropriate. “The public interest in fostering compliance with court orders provides a strong rationale for the ‘customary practice in contempt cases to impose costs on a solicitor-client basis’. This consideration weighs in favor of awarding the Plaintiffs their full costs, less the adjustments discussed above.” As per Chief Justice Crampton’s order (in Canadian dollars) handed down on December 15, 2023: The Defendant Antonio Macciacchera shall pay to the Plaintiffs, forthwith, lump sum costs of $94,906.19, comprising reasonable legal fees of $73,000, plus HST of $6,326.67 on those legal fees, plus reasonable disbursements of $12,416.19. Conversion: Lump sum US$70,863, legal fees US$54,506, HST US$4,723, disbursements US$12,416 From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more. View the full article

TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to iScanner is on sale for £31.83, saving you 79% on list price. Owning a scanner is a rarity these days. Despite not always having a printer and scanner at the ready, we still need to scan things every now and then. From ID cards to receipts or important documents, the next time you desperately need to scan something, you can just turn to iScanner. With the iScanner app, scanning is a breeze. This convenient tool makes it simple to scan on the go. And right now you can score a lifetime subscription for only £31.83. Let iScanner help you check things off your to-do list, as you can create PRO documents from anywhere...no scanning equipment required. This ad-free app turns your device into a smart scanner whenever you need to scan important documents for work or personal reasons. Then after scanning them, iScanner digitises them and exports them as a PDF, JPG, XLS, PPT, or TXT, as needed. Aside from making scanning simple, iScanner offers AI-powered tools that ensure the document's borders are detected and adjusted automatically, while also straightening pages and ensuring there are no curves and skews. It also can recognise text in more than 20 languages. There are also various scanning modes you can choose depending on your needs — from documents to passports to the option to solve math problems and equations or measure object length and area. Stop dreading scanning with a lifetime subscription to iScanner for just £31.83 with no coupon needed. Opens in a new window Credit: iScanner iScanner (Lifetime Subscription) £31.83 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal View the full article

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for Dec. 19's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing. Not the day you're after? Here's the Wordle answer for Dec. 18. What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N. What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though. Why are there two different Wordle answers some days?Though usually Wordle will only accept one correct solution per day, occasionally it has rebelled against the norm and deem two different answers acceptable. This is due to changes the New York Times made to Wordle after it acquired the puzzle game. The Times has since added its own updated word list, so this should happen even less frequently than before. To avoid any confusion, it's a good idea to refresh your browser before getting stuck into a new puzzle. Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:A place to eat dinner with the family. Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?There are no letters that appear twice. Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter T. SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. What's the answer to Wordle today?Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution. Drumroll please! The solution to Wordle #913 is... TABLE. Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article. View the full article

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for December 19's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. What is Connections?The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common. Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends. Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media. Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try: Yellow: Attachments Green: Standup Blue: Romance Purple: Numeronyms Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categoriesNeed a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories: Yellow: Accessories Green: Comedian's Output Blue: Attraction Purple: Two Letters + Number SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for December 18 Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions. Drumroll, please! The solution to Connections #191 is... What is the answer to Connections todayAccessories: BELT, BRACELET, TIE, WATCH Comedian's Output: BIT, JOKE, ROUTINE, SKETCH Attraction: APPEAL, CHARM, DRAW, PULL Two Letters + Number: CANINE, FREIGHT, OFTEN, STONE Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections. View the full article

Their faithful rendition even includes mandolin courtesy of Julien BakerView the full article

Elon Musk levels up his Disney feud by bringing Tesla into the fray. Over the weekend, numerous Tesla owners began to report that Disney's streaming app, Disney+, was suspiciously missing from their vehicles. "So Disney+ has now been removed from Tesla vehicles," posted X user @TheTeslaHoe after seeing the app was removed from her vehicle. "I’m assuming this is in retaliation to Disney pulling advertising from X (which they have every right to do)." "This comes off like a temper tantrum," @TheTeslaHoe continued. "And I feel like Tesla owners are now caught in the crossfire of something that is absolutely not their fault." In November, a number of major brands stopped advertising on Musk's social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. Companies like Apple, Sony, and Disney paused its ad campaigns following Musk's endorsement of a antisemitic conspiracy theory posted by another user on the platform. SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's 6 dumbest X / Twitter decisions of 2023 Weeks later, during a live interview at the New York Times' Dealbook Summit, Musk was asked about the fleeing advertisers. In response, Musk told them to "go fuck yourself." He then decided to single out Disney by referencing the company's CEO Bob Iger. "Hey, Bob, if you're in the audience. That's how I feel, don't advertise," Musk said. Other Tesla owners found that the app had also been removed from their vehicle. While others have reported that the Disney+ app is still there. "I can confirm that Disney+ has been removed from my Tesla Model S," posted @WholeMarsBlog, a X user and supporter of Musk. "Strangely, our Hardware 3 Model S on the same firmware still has it." According to a report from online electric vehicle news outlet Electrek, a source tells them that Tesla informed Disney that it was removing the Disney+ app last week. Tesla then altered its decision and said it would only remove the app from Tesla vehicles that have never used the Disney+ app before. Tesla first added the Disney+ app to vehicles' "Theater mode" in 2021. Other native apps available in Tesla's Theater include Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok. It appears that only the Disney+ app has been removed. According to Electrek, Tesla did not provide Disney with a specific reason for the removal of the Disney+ app, but the message sent by the company was "read between the lines." View the full article

Maintaining his dominant presence, MATRODA continued his triumphant journey through 2023, gracing numerous clubs and festivals with his electrifying performances. Among the prestigious events he headlined this year were Lollapalooza, Veld Fest, Tomorrowland, EDC LV, and Splash House, all while overseeing his label Terminal Underground and unveiling new releases. MATRODA remains an unwavering force of success and influence, showing no signs of slowing down. Adding to his extensive and timeless discography, “The Funk You Want” exemplifies MATRODA’s expertise in seamlessly blending funky vocals, bass-infused melodies, and distinctive tech-house grooves that have become synonymous with his signature sound. MATRODA’s impact on the electronic music scene is undeniable. From being named the 19th Top Producer in the world in 2022 by 1001tracklists.com to accumulating 100 million streams across digital service providers, he has achieved more in a decade than many artists do in a lifetime. Listen to the new single below! This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Matroda Concludes Huge Festival Circuit & Tour with New Single ‘The Funk You Want” With POLOVICH View the full article

When it comes to giving a facelift to old classics, few do it as good as Martial Simon. Now, he’s teaming up with world-renowned Soca artist, MarzVille, to unveil an innovative interpretation of Matthew Wilder’s timeless hit, “Break My Stride.” This partnership injects the song with a burst of captivating electronic elements and lively melodies, complemented by MarzVille’s exceptional vocal flair. The result is a tune that effortlessly brightens anyone’s day, elevating the distinctive and vibrant ambiance for which Martial Simon is renowned and fusing it seamlessly with MarzVille’s acclaimed Caribbean rhythms. As the creator of GET SET Records, Martial Simon has not just influenced his personal trajectory but has also played a pivotal role in shaping the paths of numerous others. Through his label, he has served as a conduit to a global audience, strategically propelling those he signs towards prospective triumphs. Check out the song below! This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Martial Simon & MarzVille Dust Off Classic “Break My Stride” With Uplifting House Remix View the full article

In 2020, publishers Hachette, HarperCollins, John Wiley and Penguin Random House sued the Internet Archive (IA) for copyright infringement, equating its ‘Open Library’ to a pirate site. IA’s library is a non-profit operation that scans physical books, which can then be lent out to patrons in an ebook format. Patrons can also borrow books that are scanned and digitized in-house, with technical restrictions that prevent copying. Staying true to the centuries-old library concept, only one patron at a time can rent a digital copy of a physical book for a limited period. Mass Copyright Infringement or Fair Use? Not all rightsholders are happy with IA’s scanning and lending activities. The publishers are not against libraries per se, nor do they object to ebook lending, but ‘authorized’ libraries typically obtain an official license or negotiate specific terms. The Internet Archive has no license. The publishers see IA’s library as a rogue operation that engages in willful mass copyright infringement, directly damaging their bottom line. As such, they want it taken down permanently. The Internet Archive wholeheartedly disagreed with the copyright infringement allegations; it offers a vital service to the public, the Archive said, as it built its legal defense on protected fair use. After weighing the arguments from both sides, New York District Court Judge John Koeltl sided with the publishers. In March, the court granted their motion for summary judgment, which effectively means that the library is indeed liable for copyright infringement. The judgment and associated permanent injunction effectively barred the library from reproducing or distributing digital copies of the ‘covered books’ without permission from rightsholders. These restrictions were subject to an eventual appeal, which was announced shortly thereafter. Internet Archive Files Appeal Brief Late last week, IA filed its opening brief at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, asking it to reverse the lower court’s judgment. The library argues that the court erred by rejecting its fair use defense. Whether IA has a fair use defense depends on how the four relevant factors are weighed. According to the lower court, these favor the publishers but the library vehemently disagrees. On the contrary, it believes that its service promotes the creation and sharing of knowledge, which is a core purpose of copyright. “This Court should reverse and hold that IA’s controlled digital lending is fair use. This practice, like traditional library lending, furthers copyright’s goal of promoting public availability of knowledge without harming authors or publishers,” the brief reads. A fair use analysis has to weigh the interests of both sides. The lower court did so, but IA argues that it reached the wrong conclusions, failing to properly account for the “tremendous public benefits” controlled digital lending offers. No Competition One of the key fair use factors at stake is whether IA’s lending program affects (i.e., threatens) the traditional ebook lending market. IA uses expert witnesses to argue that there’s no financial harm and further argues that its service is substantially different from the ebook licensing market. IA offers access to digital copies of books, which is similar to licensed libraries. However, the non-profit organization argues that its lending program is not a substitute as it offers a fundamentally different service. “For example, libraries cannot use ebook licenses to build permanent collections. But they can use licensing to easily change the selection of ebooks they offer to adapt to changing interests,” IA writes. The licensing models make these libraries more flexible. However, they have to rely on the books offered by commercial aggregators and can’t add these digital copies to their archives. “Controlled digital lending, by contrast, allows libraries to lend only books from their own permanent collections. They can preserve and lend older editions, maintaining an accurate historical record of books as they were printed. “They can also provide access that does not depend on what Publishers choose to make available. But libraries must own a copy of each book they lend, so they cannot easily swap one book for another when interest or trends change,” IA adds. Stakes are High The arguments highlighted here are just a fraction of the 74-page opening brief, which goes into much more detail and ultimately concludes that the district court’s judgment should be reversed. In a recent blog post, IA founder Brewster Kahle writes that if the lower court’s verdict stands, books can’t be preserved for future generations in digital form, in the same way that paper versions have been archived for centuries. “This lawsuit is about more than the Internet Archive; it is about the role of all libraries in our digital age. This lawsuit is an attack on a well-established practice used by hundreds of libraries to provide public access to their collections. “The disastrous lower court decision in this case holds implications far beyond our organization, shaping the future of all libraries in the United States and unfortunately, around the world,” Kahle concludes. — A copy of the Internet Archive’s opening brief, filed at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, is available here (pdf) From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more. View the full article

The best e-reader deals ahead of Stuff Your Kindle Day Best Kindle deal Kindle Scribe (16GB) $269.99 at Amazon (Save $70) Get Deal Best Kobo deal Kobo Clara 2E $119.99 at Rakuten Kobo (Save $20) Get Deal The only thing better than having access to thousands of books at the click of a button is having access to thousands of free books at the click of the button. SEE ALSO: You wrote a book! Now make a viral TikTok about it. That's basically the idea behind Stuff Your Kindle Day, an author-organized event that brings tons of romance e-books to the total cost of $0 and yes, the books are yours to keep. Understandably, this event has been drumming up excitement on TikTok, so here's what you need to know if you're planning on picking up a few (or more) free books when the day rolls around. When is Stuff Your Kindle Day? Stuff your Kindle Day happens four times a year, with the final Stuff Your Kindle Day of this year falling on Dec. 27. You'll want to mark this in your calendar, as the event will last for one day only. In 2023 thus far, it also happened on March 31, June 30, Sept. 20. Who can participate in Stuff Your Kindle Day?Anyone! You don't need to own a Kindle to grab these titles — Kobo and Nook readers can snag them for free too. You'll also find the titles available available on the Google Play and Apple Books apps. So, even if you don't have an e-reader, download these titles on your preferred app and read them straight from your phone. The creator of the day, romance author Zoe York, said it best when she tweeted that the day is "really Stuff Your E-Reader Day." What e-books will be free? Technically, you can get free e-books from Amazon year-round. So while you can search "Stuff Your Kindle Day" on the website and get results for plenty of free titles (even before the event), it will require more digging. Our recommendation is to check out the official list SYKD books when it drops on Dec. 27, on the blog Romance Bookworms. There, you'll be able to see the titles sorted by retailer and sub-genres of romance, including tropes like enemies to lovers. How is it different than Amazon Kindle Unlimited?Amazon Kindle Unlimited is a subscription service where you pay $11.99 per month to borrow up to 20 books per month. If you stop your subscription, you will no longer be able to borrow the books. The books offered through Stuff Your Kindle Day are yours to keep, and there is no cap on how many books you can pick up during the day. If you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, your ability to participate in Stuff Your Kindle Day won't be at all affected (the event is not Amazon-sanctioned). You can grab hundreds of free books, and not a single one will take one of your 20 Unlimited spots. Best Kindle and Kobo deals this week: Kobo Clara 2E — $119.99 $139.99 (save $20) Kindle Paperwhite Kids — $144.99 $169.99 (save $25) Kobo Libra 2 — $169.99 $189.99 (save $20) Kindle Paperwhite Kids Essentials Bundle — $177.97 $202.97 (save $25) Kindle Scribe (16GB) — $269.99 $339.99 (save $70) Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle with Premium Pen — $374.97 $499.97 (save $125) View the full article

Water From Your Eyes, Ratboys, Soul Glo, Iris DeMent, and others will take the stage in Massachusetts next yearView the full article

No one buys a new device or appliance anticipating the day it stops working. But accidents, breakdowns, and other disasters can — and frequently do — happen. And when it does, we’re left wishing there was a better option than buying it all over again. Asurion's protection plans ensure that if the worst happens, your TV, gaming consoles, home appliances, and more will get fixed or replaced without breaking your budget. There are three plans to choose from, each with its own category of devices included in the coverage. Safeguard the essentials Opens in a new window Credit: pictafolio / Getty Images Home+Entertainment Protection Plan $14.99 per month Shop Plan Home+Entertainment has got you covered for all your basic home devices. Think TVs, game consoles, Bluetooth headphones, soundbars, and even your trusty router. Basically, it's everything that makes your in-home entertainment tick. And the best part? You get live tech support whenever you need it. Asurion's latest plan is designed to keep your music, movies, and more streaming without a hitch. Go big with Home+ Opens in a new window Credit: Kenneth Cheung / Getty Images Home+ Premium Protection Plan $24.99 per month Shop Plan Home+ expands its coverage to more of your tech at home. You’ll get all the home device coverage plus protection for smart home products, office tech, and wearables. We're talking computers, external hard drives, smartwatches, tablets, and printers — all included. With Home+, you also score $49 installations for your smart devices, round-the-clock tech support, unlimited photo and video storage, and digital security monitoring. Keep things cooking (and cleaning) Opens in a new window Credit: 3alexd / Getty Images Appliance+ Protection Plan Originally $34.99 per month, now $29.99 per month (limited-time deal) Shop Plan Appliance+ provides a safety net for most major home appliances. Most brands are covered, and Appliance+ can protect appliances you haven’t even bought yet. Whether your freezer stops working before holiday dinner or your microwave is on the fritz, Appliance+ has your back. As with all Asurion plans, there are no hidden fees and no limit on the number of claims you can make with this one. All eligible products you own or buy are covered by your Asurion plan, with no maximum. And with any of these three plans, repairs and replacement are just the beginning. For one thing, Asurion makes sure that filing a claim is painless. You’ll never have to show a receipt, which makes getting your device fixed or replaced quick and straightforward. Plus, Asurion plan owners enjoy always-on-call 24/7 support. So, if your TV goes dark at the stroke of midnight, an Asurion expert can talk you through the next steps. Once you purchase a plan, prices will never change, and if you need to cancel for any reason, it’s hassle-free. So enroll with Asurion today and make pricey replacements a thing of the past. View the full article

070 Shake, Nick Hakim, Ramy Youssef, Stormzy, Daniel Caesar, 6lack, and Charlotte Day Wilson are also among the performers set for the New Jersey showView the full article

This week, Apple will indefinitely pause sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 due to a patent dispute. According to 9to5Mac, the Apple website will stop selling the newest generations of its smartwatches on Dec. 21 after 3 p.m. ET and in stores on Dec. 24. SEE ALSO: Double Tap finally comes to Apple Watch Series 9 — here’s how to use it The years-long patent dispute between Apple and medical technology company Masimo came to a head when the International Trade Commission upheld a judge's ruling that Apple had infringed on Masimo's patents for blood oxygen sensor technology. The ITC ruling, which occurred in October, was sent to the Biden administration for a 60-day review period, which expires on Dec. 25, during which the president can choose to veto the decision. Just in case, Apple has decided to pull the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 from the shelves. "While the review period will not end until December 25, Apple is preemptively taking steps to comply should the ruling stand," said Apple in a statement to 9to5Mac. Starting this week, you won't be able to buy the Series 9 and the Ultra 2 directly through Apple. However, the smartwatches won't be completely off the market. Since the ITC ruling only blocks Apple from selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, third-party retailers like Best Buy and Amazon are still allowed to sell the devices. That said, the ruling also blocks Apple from importing the Series 9 and Ultra 2 to the U.S., so it could affect inventory of other retailers. SEE ALSO: 5 most overrated tech features of 2023 What happens if the ruling is upheld? Apple can still appeal the decision, settle with Masimo, or even work out a licensing agreement for their patented technology. But exactly what Apple plans to do is still unclear, which means there's no concrete timeline for when the company can begin selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 again. View the full article

With Christmas only a week away, those of us who haven't finished our holiday shopping are feeling the pressure to get it done. Luckily, plenty of great gift deals are running on Amazon that promise to make it in time for Dec. 25. Who says last-minute shoppers can't score amazing finds, too? Here are some of the best gift deals on Amazon that will arrive before Dec. 25: A portable outdoor speaker Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) Portable Bluetooth Speaker $159.99 at Amazon (save $60) Get Deal Why we like itThe Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) is your ultimate indoor/outdoor speaker; bringing powerful 360-degree sound and a long-lasting 13-hour battery life. With a built-in microphone and easy connect, it also functions as a part of your smart home. Whether you're relaxing on the patio or cooking in the kitchen, this speaker is right at home. Noise cancelling earbuds Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio Buds $79.99 at Amazon (save $69.96) Get Deal Why we like itComfortable noise-canceling earbuds always make for a thoughtful holiday gift, even when they're bought at the eleventh hour. Beats Studio Buds are a great selection because they're compatible with both Apple and Android. They're also sweat-resistant, so they can seamlessly transition from professional use to your next workout. A travel coffee flask Opens in a new window Credit: Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Hydro Flask $23.65 at Amazon (save $9.30) Get Deal Why we like itIs there any gift more useful than Hydro Flask? The Wide Mouth Hydro Flask is double-walled and vacuum-insulated to preserve the temperature of your coffee and tea just how you like it. It's dishwasher safe, and easy to clean by hand if needed thanks to its wide mouth. An impressive new air fryer Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja AF101 Air Fryer $74.99 at Amazon (save $55) Get Deal Why we like itThis family-sized air-fryer is a great pick for mom and dad: a trendy kitchen appliance that actually makes life easier. The Ninja AF101 Air Fyer lets you roast, crisp, reheat, and dehydrate all the while producing up to 75% less fat than other traditional frying methods. An easy-to-use pasta roller Opens in a new window Credit: KitchenAid KitchenAid KSMPSA Pasta Roller Attachment $74.99 at Amazon (save $25) Get Deal Why we like itWhat do you get for the home chef who has everything? A pasta roller attachment for their KitchenAid, of course. It fits all Household KitchenAid Stand mixers and instantly transforms them into pasta-making dreams, rolling 6-inch sheets of pasta out smoothly. With eight different thickness settings to choose from, you can make your homemade pasta exactly how you prefer it. A barista-worthy coffee maker Opens in a new window Credit: Keurig Keurig K-Café Barista Bar $99.98 at Amazon (save $40.01) Get Deal Why we like itCoffee makers always make for thoughtful holiday gifts, but the Keurig K-Cafe Barista Bar takes the idea to the next level. While it looks just like a regular Keurig single-serve coffee maker, it brews hot or iced lattes, cappuccinos, and all your favorite specialty coffee drinks, all while using K-cups and keeping things no-fuss. It also comes with a compact milk frother. A big-ticket bundle Opens in a new window Credit: PlayStation PlayStation 5 Console and Marvel’s Spider-Man Bundle $499 at Amazon (save $60.99) Get Deal Why we like itGood news: It's not too late to score deals on big-ticket items like the PlayStation 5. For under $500, you can get the PlayStation 5 console plus a digital voucher for Marvel's Spider-Man 2 game. Improved streaming Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick $24.99 at Amazon (save $15) Get Deal Why we like itFor less than $25, you can give the gift of unlimited streaming this Christmas. With the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Alexa voice remote, users have access to over 300,000 free movies and TV shows, plus free and live TV. With the option to access and subscribe to favorite streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video, millions more movies and shows are available. We also love this deal because when you buy the Amazon Fire TV Stick, you also get six free months of MGM+. An affordable tablet Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet $89.99 at Amazon (save $50) Get Deal Why we like itReleased earlier this year, this Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet is 25% faster than the previous gen. tablet and has an upgraded front camera so you can take better photos and enjoy crisper video calls with friends and family. While these improved specs make it an attractive tablet for everyday use, so does its sale price: as of today, Dec. 18, it's on sale for only $89.99. A stocking stuffer for the kids Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Echo Pop Kids $22.99 at Amazon (save Get Deal Why we like itThis smart speaker is made just for kids: With a fun Disney Princess-themed design, your little ones will love being able to stream all their favorite songs. Plus, as parents, you can experience peace of mind that they're only being exposed to appropriate content: explicit songs are automatically filtered out and kid-friendly songs are played instead. We also love that the Echo Pop Kids comes with a free six-month subscription to Amazon Kids+. More great deals that arrive before Dec. 25:iRobot Roomba 694 robot vacuum — $159 $274.99 (save $115.99) JBL Tune 510TB wireless on-ear headphones — $24.95 $49.95 (save $24) Echo Studio — $159.99 $199.99 (save $40) Nespresso Vertuo Next coffee and espresso machine — $134.25 $179.95 (save $45.70) Hamilton Beach Juicer — $54.95 $69.99 (save $15) View the full article

UPDATE: Dec. 18, 2023, 11:43 a.m. EST This article has been updated to include the latest T-Mobile phone deal pricing and availability. A quick look at the best T-Mobile phone deals this week: BEST IPHONE DEAL iPhone 15 (128GB) free with new line on qualifying plans or eligible device trade-in (save up to $829.99) Get Deal BEST SAMSUNG DEAL Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 (256GB) free with new line or eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan (save $999.99) Get Deal BEST GOOGLE DEAL Google Pixel 7a (128GB) free with new line on most plans or trade-in on Go5G Plus plan (save $499.99) Get Deal Whether your phone no longer holds a charge, has a spiderweb of cracks on the screen, or is simply outdated, you should be able to find a deal on a new phone at T-Mobile no problem. If you're an existing customer, your best bet will be trading in your old phone for an upgraded model or switching your plan to the Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan. If you're currently a customer elsewhere, switching over to T-Mobile could land a free phone in your hands. For those due for an upgrade, we've rounded up the best phone deals at T-Mobile this week to help you save — including markdowns on iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, and Motorola razr models. Be on the lookout for terms and conditions, though, as things can get confusing when it comes to device trade-in value and eligibility. Best phone deal at T-Mobile Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: iPhone 15 (128GB) free with new line on qualifying plans and eligible device trade-in Get Deal Why we like itThe shiniest new toy from Apple, the iPhone 15, can be yours for zero dollars if you open a new line on a qualifying plan and have a decent eligible trade-in. Don't need to open a new line? You can still score the new iPhone 15 (128GB version) for free with an eligible trade-in on the Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan — essentially your trade-in must be a worthy phone in good condition. If you're not on the Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan, you can either switch to score the deal or keep your existing plan and slash a smaller amount off your total cost (up to $350 off with an eligible trade-in). Sure, there's a lot of hoops to jump through, but it's worth it to get an $830 phone for free. Note that this deal is only available on the 128GB version of the iPhone 15 — if you want more storage, eligibility terms get a little rocky. More phone deals at T-MobileiPhone deals iPhone SE 3rd gen (128GB) — free with eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan $479.99 (save $479.99) iPhone 14 (128GB) — free with eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan $729.99 (save $729.99) iPhone 13 mini (512GB) — free with new line an trade $929.99 (save $929.99) iPhone 15 Plus (128GB) — free with eligible trade-in on Go5G Next plan $929.99 (save $929.99) iPhone 15 Plus (128GB) — as low as $99.99 with new line on Go5G Next plan $929.99 (save up to $830) iPhone 15 Pro (128GB) — free with eligible trade-in on Go5G Next plan $999.99 (save $999.99) iPhone 15 Pro (128GB) — as low as $169.99 with eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus plan $999.99 (save up to $830) iPhone 14 Pro (256GB) — free with eligible trade-in on Go5G Next plan $1,099.99 (save $1,099.99) iPhone 15 Pro (256GB) — as low as $269.99 with eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus plan $1,099.99 (save up to $830) iPhone 14 Pro Max (256GB) — free with eligible trade-in on Go5G Next plan $1,099.99 (save $1,099.99) iPhone 14 Pro Max (256GB) — as low as $269.99 with eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus plan $1,099.99 (save up to $830) iPhone 15 Pro Max (256GB) — free with eligible trade-on on Go5G Next plan $1,199.99 (save $1,199.99) iPhone 15 Pro Max (256GB) — as low as $369.99 with new line on Go5G Next plan $1,199.99 (save $830) Samsung Galaxy deals Samsung Galaxy A14 5G (64GB) — free with a new line or eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus plan $228 (save $228) Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (128GB) — free with new line or eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus plan $599.99 (save $599.99) Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 (256GB) — free with new line or eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan $999.99 (save $999.99) Samsung Galaxy S23 (128GB) — free with new line on Go5G Next or Go5G Plus or eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus plan $799.99 (save $799.99) Samsung Galaxy A54 5G (128GB) — $99 with new line or eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan $450 (save $351) Samsung Galaxy S23+ (256GB) — as low as $199.99 with eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus plan $999.99 (save up to $800) Samsung Galaxy 23 Ultra (256GB) — as low as $399.99 with new line on Go5G Next or Go5G Plus plan $1,199.99 (save up to $800) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 (256GB) — as low as $799.99 with new line or eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan $1,799.99 (save up to $1,000) Google Pixel deals Google Pixel 7a (128GB) — free with new line on most plans or trade-in on a Go5G plan $499.99 (save $499.99) Google Pixel 8 (128GB) — free with new line or eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan $699.99 (save $699.99) Google Pixel 8 Pro (128GB) — free with new line or eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan $999.99 (save $999.99) Google Pixel Fold (256GB) — as low as $399.99 with new line or eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan $1,799.99 (save up to $1,400) More phone deals TCL Stylus 5G (128GB) — free with a new line or eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus plan $258 (save $258) OnePlus Nord N30 5G (128GB) — free with a new line $264 (save $264) Motorola moto g stylus 5G (128GB) — free with a new line or eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus plan $299.99 (save $299.99) Motorola edge 2022 (128GB) — free with a new line or eligible trade-in on a Go5G plan $498 (save $498) + free 12-month Google One membership Motorola razr (128GB) — free with new line or eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan $552 (save $552) Motorola razr+ (256GB) — free with new line or eligible trade-in on Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan $999.99 (save $999.99) View the full article

You may be entitled to around $30 and not even know it if you've used Apple's Family Sharing plan. The program, which entitles users to bundle app subscriptions together so multiple members of one family can all share them, is at the center of a class-action lawsuit settlement, as reported by MacRumors. If you used Family Sharing between June 21, 2015 and Jan. 30, 2019 and purchased a subscription to at least one non-Apple app during that time, you're eligible for a payout, which can be claimed at the lawsuit's website. SEE ALSO: Apple introduces 'contingent pricing,' redefining App Store dynamics The reason Apple has to pay out the settlement, which totals $25 million, is that the Family Sharing plan is a tad misleading. App developers are allowed to opt out of the plan, meaning not every app subscription can actually be shared among family members. That was apparently enough for the U.S. legal system to decide Apple misled customers and, thus, we have a settlement payout coming. You have until March 1 to file your claim. Get to it, folks. View the full article

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

Early December the English Premier League announced a new broadcasting rights deal worth a staggering £6.7 billion (US$8.5 billion). Running for four seasons from the 2025-26 campaign, the deal will see broadcasters Sky and TNT take the live games and the BBC continue with its popular highlights package. Amazon, which has been licensing Premier League games since 2019, hoping to drive customers towards its Prime service, wasn’t awarded a single match. In parallel, UK tabloid Daily Mail has taken a sudden and unusual interest in Amazon Firestick devices during the last two weeks. Published every few days with a similar theme, the goal appears one of piracy deterrence. Unfortunately, regularly associating a legitimate brand with negative imagery is unlikely to have much effect on the pirate market and won’t boost sales of legitimate products either. Since piracy rarely responds to negativity but loses market share as legal offers become more attractive, the Premier League’s decision to allow transmission of 270 fixtures in the new package instead of the current 200, is a step in the right direction. Still no matches available during the ‘3pm blackout’ or adjustments to pricing in the consumer direction, but the BBC now has a license to show highlights for all 380 matches. Other ‘broadcasters’ will show all 380 matches in full, with no license at all. All Matches, No Licenses: Premier League Targets Pirate Sites Sky’s deal with the Premier League means the broadcaster now pays £5.95 million per match. Pirate streaming sites, meanwhile, pay the Premier League absolutely nothing and since that has a devaluing effect on the matches already sold, enforcement is the inevitable outcome. In a letter dated December 14, 2023, Texas law firm Hagan Noll & Boyle informed Cloudflare that users of its “system or network” are infringing the Premier League’s copyrighted works, through dozens of websites, using an even greater number of domain names. Where relevant, the list also includes ‘backend URLs’ from where actual streams may (or may not) be served. A small sample of the pirate domains The list includes the popular crackstreams.me, which according to SimilarWeb data enjoyed 8.6 million visitors in the three-month period of September, October and November 2023. In common with many other domains in the list, a second domain is listed alongside crackstreams.me, indicating that visitors are redirected after visiting the initial domain. For crackstreams.me, the secondary ‘redirect’ domain is ronaldo7.io, which had around 750,000 visits during the same three-month period. While that’s significantly lower than crackstreams.me, visitors from the UK account for 75% of ronaldo7.io’s traffic, versus 25% for its redirection ‘partner’. Screenshots similar to those shown below form part of the evidence presented to Cloudflare, 103 pages in total. crackstreams.me (left), ronaldo7.io (right) Judging by the volume of gambling advertising on some domains, coupled with signs that sites are targeting countries including Thailand and China, the Premier League clearly has challenges ahead. Some may even be solvable in the United States, if it gets lucky with Cloudflare. Notification Under 17 U.S.C. § 512 There are two reasons for sending a notification to Cloudflare under 17 U.S.C. § 512. As a first step, the Premier League would like Cloudflare to take the infringing content down. “Cloudflare is asked to remove or disable access to Premier League’s copyrighted works, which, based on the infringement that has occurred to date through the websites and domain names identified above, will continue to be infringed in this same manner throughout the Premier League season,” the letter reads. Whether Cloudflare can or will comply in some or all cases is unclear. However, until Cloudflare is sent a compliant DMCA takedown notice, Premier League can’t follow up with the next step. DMCA Subpoena Application Filed at U.S. Court Through the same Texas law firm, on December 14 the Premier League filed an application for a DMCA subpoena. This allows a copyright owner (or a person authorized to act on their behalf) to request a clerk of any United States district court to issue a subpoena to a service provider (in this case Cloudflare) for the purpose of identifying an alleged infringer. The notification sent to Cloudflare identifying the alleged infringers and locations of the infringing content, a proposed subpoena, and a sworn declaration that the subpoena will only be used to protect Premier League’s rights, is usually enough for the clerk to sign off on a request. Kids’ presents and turkey or gambling with strangers? When that happens, Cloudflare will be required to hand over the following information for the domains listed below, and/or the ‘backend URLs’ listed in the notification to Cloudflare (not listed below). Information sufficient to identify the alleged infringers of the matches described in the attached notification, which would include the individuals’ names, physical addresses, IP addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, payment information, account updates, and account history. The deadline in the proposed subpoena is December 29, 2023 The list of domains and redirection domains reads as follows: 88zhibo.me 222live.net 720pstream.me 720pstream.nu 7mscorethai.live bestsolaris.com bgibola5.xyz bgibola77.live cakhia51.tv cakhia22.live crackstreams.me ronaldo7.io dooball168-hd.com dooball2you.com dooballx.com duball356.com futebolplayhd.com futemax.app futemax.la livenettvapk.live/android/ livehd7.cc as.livehd72.live mmfootballgroup.com mmfootball.cryptken.com multicanais.fans pawastreams.top pawastreams.info rakhoi4.tv rapidstreamz.tv rojadirectaenvivo.club rojadirectaenvivo.nl soccerlive.app nbastreamlinks.net soccerstreamlinks.com soccertv4k.com socolive.news socolive.fan sportsurge.club streamonsport.ru strims.top tvmob.net tvron.net tvtap-pro.net vertvenvivo.net weakstream.org weakspell.org xn--l3clbuukk5c4d8a3e5d.com crichdplayer.xyz crichd.com hd.cricfree.io From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more. View the full article

Website blocking is the entertainment industry’s preferred anti-piracy strategy in dozens of countries. Targeting domain names of pirate sites can be an effective way to deter casual pirates. When a site can no longer be easily located, some users may give up, especially since Google now deindexes blocked domains as well. Popular pirate sites have been familiar with these measures for years now. While some simply ignore the issue, hoping that users will find a way around it, others are actively pushing back. Spanish torrent site DonTorrent falls in the latter category. With millions of monthly visitors, DonTorrent is a force to be reckoned with. The site is particularly popular in Spain and offers links to a curated selection of torrents. Following complaints from rightsholders, the torrent site is blocked by Spanish Internet providers. While this is a nuisance for the site’s operator and users, it hasn’t exactly decimated DonTorrent’s traffic or tempered its attitude. Traffic Unchanged Instead of laying low, DonTorrent typically chooses a more offensive route. The site’s operators are openly playing with the likeness of Jan van Voorn, the head of the influential anti-piracy alliance ACE, for example. In addition, the site does all it can to fight back against the blocking efforts. DonTorrent shared several unblocking tips with its users, and also added a .onion domain to make the site accessible on the Tor network. A DonTorrent spokesperson informs us that these efforts paid off as traffic remains stable. There are seasonal variations, but those are not blocking-related. If anything, the torrent site sees traffic boosts when streaming services raise their prices. We can’t independently verify these traffic trends but it’s clear that the site still has a sizable community. The official Telegram channel currently has nearly 80,000 users, who are regularly updated about domain name changes. Domain Name Whack-a-Mole The communication channel is much needed as the torrent site doesn’t exactly have a stable home. Spanish ISPs are regularly instructed to block new DonTorrent domains, which has already happened 39 times this year. Every time a new domain is blocked, DonTorrent quickly registers and launches an alternative, so its users can get around these measures for a while. “We don’t have any domain names parked and ready to use, what we do is register it that same day when we see the block,” DonTorrent informs us, explaining that this is a conscious strategy. “In the past, we did reserve some domain names and pointed these to our Cloudflare account, but we discovered that [Jan van Voorn] or one of his henchmen were checking the new ‘dontorrent’ TLD registrations.” Whether ACE was checking the domains or another rightsholder representative isn’t clear, but someone was keeping a close eye on the backup domains. They were blocked before becoming active, rendering preparations futile. The last domain name change took place earlier this week, typically at a rate of one domain per week. In some cases, there’s a slightly longer delay, which often coincides with public holidays. Scammers Galore Besides ISP blockades, the torrent site also has trouble with some anti-virus companies that block its new domains, seemingly without reason. “The funny thing is that they apologize when we complain about these false positives, but they can’t explain what happened. They remove the blocks, but only if we notify them,” DonTorrent says. It’s possible that a sudden surge in traffic for newly registered domains may set off some algorithmic alarm bells. Ironically, however, copycat pirate sites that scam people by requesting their credit card details, can often operate freely. These scam websites typically use the brands of popular pirate sites to exploit the fact that these sites are regularly blocked or shut down. The more effective anti-piracy efforts are, the bigger this problem gets. DonTorrent says it wouldn’t be surprised if anti-piracy forces were behind these dodgy schemes. While there is no evidence for that at all, rightsholders certainly use the phenomenon in their messaging. In recent months, various anti-piracy campaigns and lobbying efforts have highlighted the potential for scams and credit card fraud. These campaigns effectively bring things full circle. Scammers or not, DonTorrent doesn’t seem intent on stopping anytime soon. The site’s deviant actions have turned it into a big anti-piracy trophy, but one that seems out of reach, at least for the time being. From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more. View the full article

Having networked computers at home used to be called…well, having networked computers at home. As a description, it’s both accurate and boring, something that cannot be said about having a ‘homelab’. “A home lab, or simply lab,’ is a personal space where technology enthusiasts, professionals, and hobbyists can experiment with various hardware and software. From virtual machines to your own server, a home lab offers endless possibilities,” says Brandon Lee of VirtualizationHowto, one of many sites publishing tutorials aimed at the surging homelab scene. David Burgess runs the DB Tech channel on YouTube, where he publishes tutorials on technologies relevant to homelabs and self-hosting in general, such as Docker, Portainer, Proxmox, and Pi-Hole, to name just a few. The almost universal common denominator among channels like David’s is the absence of piracy, because you can’t pirate software that developers happily give away for free. To that background, a new video published on the channel was immediately puzzling. Years-Old Videos Considered Non-Compliant This week David received a notification from YouTube; unusual considering he’d turned off notifications two years ago when the frequency became overwhelming. Still, the communication from YouTube was important, since it referred to a community guideline strike on one of his videos. Given that David has had a community strike on his account since March 29, 2021, he initially thought the message was about that. It wasn’t. The background to the first strike is almost ancient history. On March 20, 2020, David uploaded a video about a Docker container for youtube-dl, software that allows people to download videos from YouTube and other platforms. Notably, the upload preceded the RIAA’s failed efforts to have youtube-dl removed from GitHub by six months. While youtube-dl remains on GitHub today for anyone to download, on March 29, 2021, a year after its initial upload, YouTube notified David that his docker/youtube-dl video had been removed for violating YouTube’s Terms of Service. David filed appeals with YouTube, noting that he hadn’t promoted the tool for infringing purposes, but was ultimately informed that it would not be restored. No specific reasons were given but YouTube’s terms of service state that downloading from the platform is not allowed. Even if YouTube had other issues in mind, the TOS violation can’t be avoided, despite David’s record of good conduct. Disappointed to Receive a Strike After speaking with David and reviewing his videos, it’s clear that YouTube and similar platforms aren’t focused on people like him when making the rules. He presents himself well, refrains from mindless hype, and produces clear educational videos that add value to the YouTube platform. The community strike is an obvious disappointment to him, beyond just getting a strike. Since countless other videos remained up when his had been taken down, including many that blatantly promoted youtube-dl for infringing purposes, David still feels the deletion was somewhat unfair. As always, the context of the video is important, so while mindful of YouTube’s rule against downloading, we watched the whole thing in search of anything egregious. No Obvious Crimes, Anti-Malware, Pro-Irony What we found was a tutorial video in which David went out of his way to insist on careful use; certainly not by pirates downloading the latest music videos or people pilfering content for their own channels. The video also devotes time to alternative tools that promise to download videos from YouTube, with the primary aim of giving users malware instead. As David explains, for YouTube creators who need to show a clip of another video within theirs for context, using youtube-dl is a safer option. Even at this point, with context shining in David’s favor, downloading videos that aren’t already configured for download still isn’t allowed by YouTube. The RIAA firmly believes that using youtube-dl to obtain YouTube videos amounts to a violation of the DMCA, which disallows the circumvention of digital locks, including YouTube’s rolling cipher. Under YouTube’s current terms of service, content that “shows viewers how to get unauthorized access to content, software, or services that usually require payment” is disallowed under to the ‘Digital security content’ section. That doesn’t seem to apply to YouTube directly in this case. Anti-circumvention and the prevention of unauthorized access are the key principles overall. This makes the content that David downloaded from YouTube, as a demonstration in his now-removed video, much more than just a little ironic. That brings us back to the community guidelines strike issued this week. Arr..Arr..Arr..Agggh On February 5, 2021, David uploaded several tutorial videos on how to create the ultimate home media server using Emby, Sonarr, Radarr and Jackett. One of those videos explained how to configure these pieces of software, especially how to get the Docker containers to communicate with each other; it was a technical tutorial about networking, nothing beyond that. This week David discovered that specific video (but none of the others) had been removed for breaching YouTube’s terms of service. Once again, dozens of similar tutorials that go much further remain live on YouTube, for no immediately obvious reason. David’s video was uploaded over three years ago and had accrued 114,000 views, a figure that will never go up and never again earn him revenue on YouTube. Some channels specialize in this kind of content for obvious reasons, yet somehow remain live. David says that causes confusion when trying to assess YouTube’s interpretation of the rules, and how other videos posted to his channel may be affected. New Rules Present New Concerns Over the years, YouTube’s approach to content has certainly become more restrictive. It’s generally not excessive but, as new rules are implemented, the chances of older content made under different rulesets falling foul only look set to increase. David believes that creators will have to adhere to today’s rules and then consider how future rules may step in to render previously acceptable content a TOS violation down the line. “Now I have to put myself into a very conservative mindset about what might be misconstrued by the wrong content mod as a violation and take corrective action in the future because, again, who knows when something like this will happen again?” he says. Guidelines, Rules, Laws As societies react to new technologies, the shifting sands of social norms, and the effect of government efforts to legislate, regulate, or even frustrate online behavior, large online platforms like YouTube are being forced to change. New rules governing conduct are inevitable and can often provide clues on how a company hopes to be perceived among licensing partners and advertisers. As we recently suggested, personal moderation at scale is already an impossibility and with new rules come new problems. David doesn’t have any plans to abandon YouTube but seems less inclined to rely on it exclusively moving forward. He’s hoping to continue building an audience on Patreon where $1 per month gets things started, and also on Rumble, according to a new post on X, where a lack of coherence on rules in general makes the place almost insufferable. On the flip side, too many new rules have a tendency to breed even more rules of increasing complexity; read by the few and fully understood by almost nobody. Reports this week published by Ars Technica and Techcrunch detailed new content policy at Twitch, implemented to make old policies on nudity less confusing. The end result could give Monty Python’s Meaning of Life a run for its money. From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more. View the full article

Artificial intelligence has the potential to make our lives more efficient, entertaining, and productive. On the flip side, it also presents several threats. This ranges from complex existential worries to concerns about AI-related copyright infringement, which is already widespread. Tthese copyright concerns will be discussed next month at a meeting of WIPO’s Advisory Committee on Enforcement, where several stakeholders will present their thoughts. This includes Universal Music Group (UMG), which sees both the good and bad aspects of this rapidly developing technology. UMG’s Vice President of Global Content Protection, Graeme Grant, lays out the music company’s perspective in a detailed contribution sent to WIPO in advance. According to Grant, UMG broadly embraces AI technology and has already obtained several patents in this area. Among other things, the company uses AI to fuel the creative process, optimize production, and as a marketing tool. At the same time, it also presents new challenges. “While AI holds great potential for innovation and expansion, generative AI also poses great risks – not only to creators but to broader society, as well,” Grant notes. AI Generated Tracks are Booming AI is increasingly used to copy music and generate tracks based on the likeness of popular artists, such as Drake vs The Weeknd’s ‘Heart on my Sleeve‘. These tracks are created using models trained on copyrighted music, which can be a problem if these datasets and models are shared. “[O]ne online community has created a spreadsheet containing over 100 pre-trained vocal models, relating to specific artists, that have been uploaded to services like Megaupload and Google Drive and can be downloaded and used by anyone of their 15,000 members,” Grant writes. While UMG might not get too upset when people experiment purely for personal use, the company believes that a line is crossed when AI-synthesized tracks are made available to the public, especially when that includes a commercial element. In the past few months, the number of AI-generated tracks uploaded to online music platforms such as Spotify increased by 175%, UMG found, and this trend could very well continue in the future. In some cases, people use artist-inspired names such as “Juice AI” and “Drake AI” to share the tracks on legitimate music services. These uploads generate royalties for every play, which don’t go to the original artist and label. These fake ‘pre-release’ sales have been going on for a while. Vice previously highlighted a scammer who reportedly made thousands of dollars by selling AI-generated Frank Ocean tracks. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Fraudsters Scam Pirates UMG is protecting its bottom line with these comments, but the company notes that prospective pirates can be harmed as well. There’s a lively market for leaked pre-release music and scammers are exploiting the demand to generate profit. Through the use of AI technology, the scammers create musical snippets that impersonate popular artists. These are then sold through pre-release forums as the real deal, supported by claims that the tracks were obtained through hacking or phishing. Some people apparently fall for this scam, paying thousands of dollars to get their hands on fresh tracks, not knowing that they’re actually faked. “Believing these tracks to be authentic, users often engage in ‘group buys’, pooling their resources to meet the fraudster’s inflated asking price, which can range from USD5,000 to 30,000. “The users are often unaware that the track in question was not created by the artist, but rather by AI technology,” Grant adds. Good AI Luckily it’s not all doom and gloom. UMG also shares many examples of how it uses AI to its advantage. This includes the creation of the new Beatles recording “Now and Then” released last month. AI technology is also used to help the company detect potential infringements, and to stave off cybersecurity threats. “The UMG security team uses AI to protect the employees, artists and stakeholders against cybersecurity threats which are vast in number and growing in sophistication,” Grant writes. The music company’s overview makes it clear that, like many technologies before it, AI can be used for good and bad. At the moment, UMG doesn’t believe that copyright regulation needs to be updated. That said, all stakeholders have to remain vigilant to prevent potential problems. — A copy of the WIPO contribution, prepared by UMG’s Vice President of Global Content Protection, Graeme Grant, is available here (pdf) From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more. View the full article