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☆ AI lobbying spikes nearly 200% as calls for regulation surge
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Hayden Field | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The spike in AI lobbying comes amid growing calls for AI regulation and the Biden administration's push to begin codifying those rules. Until 2017, the number of organizations that reported AI lobbying stayed in the single digits, per the analysis, but the practice has grown slowly but surely in the years since, exploding in 2023. The data showed a range of industries as new entrants to AI lobbying: Chip companies like AMD and TSMC , venture firms like Andreessen Horowitz, biopharmaceutical companies like AstraZeneca, conglomerates like Disney and AI training data companies like Appen. Organizations that reported lobbying on AI issues last year also typically lobby the government on a range of other issues. In its Request for Information, the Institute specifically asked responders to weigh in on developing responsible AI standards, AI red-teaming, managing the risks of generative AI and helping to reduce the risk of "synthetic content" (i.e., misinformation and deepfakes).

Persons: OpenSecrets, Biden, ByteDance, Andreessen Horowitz, government's, — CNBC's Mary Catherine Wellons, Megan Cassella Organizations: CNBC, Spotify, Samsung, Nvidia, Big Tech, AMD, U.S . Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards, Technology, NIST Locations: U.S

SINGAPORE (AP) — After a U.S. senator grilled Singaporean TikTok CEO about his nationality and affiliation with the Chinese Communist Party, Singaporeans are complaining about ignorant — or even racist — views of their country. During the hearing, Chew was repeatedly questioned about his nationality and possible affiliations to the Chinese Communist Party by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark. Chinese companies are required to set up Communist Party cells. “No Senator, again, I’m Singaporean,” Chew responded, visibly perplexed. Prior to joining TikTok, Chew worked for five years at Xiaomi, a Chinese smartphone company.

Persons: Shou Chew, Chew, Chinese Communist Party by Sen, Tom Cotton, ” Cotton, Cotton, “, ” Chew, “ McCarthy, Jojo Choo, ”, ” Choo, Fian Fazlie, “ He’s, ” Fazlie, Biden, Vivian Kao, Goldman Sachs Organizations: SINGAPORE, Chinese Communist Party, Chinese Communist Party by, Communist Party, Washington Post, Singapore, Straits Times, Fox News, U.S, “, DST Global Locations: America ., Singapore, China, Chinese, “ Singapore, TikTok, Xiaomi

To keep Earth from overheating too much, the nations of the world need to put fewer loopholes in climate agreements and far more money — trillions of dollars a year — into financial help for poor nations, the United Nations climate chief said Friday. In an unusual and blunt lecture at a university in Baku, Azerbaijan, the host city of upcoming international climate negotiations later this year, United Nations Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell called gains made in the past not nearly enough. Richer nations have promised less than 5% of that amount in climate financial help to poor nations — and they often haven't even delivered that much. “It's already blazingly obvious that finance is the make-or-break factor in the world's climate fight,” Stiell said. “The time has passed for business-as-usual in all aspects of the world's climate fight,” Stiell said.

Persons: Simon Stiell, “, Stiell, Richer, “ It's, ” Stiell, Anne Rasmussen, Jean Su, Su, Joanna Depledge, ___ Read, Seth Borenstein Organizations: United Nations, United, Climate Finance, United Arab Emirates, ”, Biological Diversity, Cambridge University, Climate, Associated Press Locations: United, Baku, Azerbaijan, United Nations, China, Nations, Brazil, Grenada, United Arab, United States, England, Dubai, AP.org

☆ Sen. Warren asks Justice Department to consider nixing Corizon's bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Dakin Campbell | Nicole Einbinder | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewSenator Elizabeth Warren is bringing fresh scrutiny to the controversial bankruptcy of private prison healthcare company Corizon Health. Warren applauded the US Trustee Program, which oversees the federal bankruptcy system, for making a rare decision last year to file an objection in court to Corizon's bankruptcy plan. Corizon's current bankruptcy plan, she wrote, "will deny Corizon's creditors, including incarcerated individuals, adequate restitution for the company's serious harms." This is the second time Warren has weighed in on the Corizon bankruptcy. "Corizon's bankruptcy is premised on the fact that it does not have sufficient resources to pay victims and other creditors," she wrote.

Persons: —, Elizabeth Warren, Warren, Corizon, Jason Brookner, YesCare didn't, Emma Dulaney, Dick Durbin, YesCare, Raphael Prober, Corizon's, plan's Organizations: Service, Corizon Health, Department of Justice's U.S, Business, Tehum Care Services, Department of Justice, US, Corizon, YesCare Holdings Locations: Texas, Tehum, YesCare

One proposal to Mr. Zuckerberg for 45 new staff members was declined. It was rejected and he returned to Mr. Zuckerberg in November with a scaled-down proposal for 32 new hires. It is unclear what Mr. Zuckerberg decided. At the hearing, Mr. Zuckerberg plans to suggest that Apple bear the responsibility for verifying ages via its App Store, according to his prepared remarks. Mr. Zuckerberg has long positioned Meta — and the internet writ large — as a place for both good and ill.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Meta, Richard Blumenthal, Marsha Blackburn, Mr, Blumenthal, “ We’ve, Andy Stone, Sheryl Sandberg, Nick Clegg, Clegg, Zuckerberg’s, ”, “ Organizations: Meta, Facebook, Republican, Apple Locations: Connecticut, Tennessee

☆ Opinion: The chilling lesson of the Taylor Swift deepfakes
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Opinion Laurie Segall | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Sexually explicit AI-generated photos of pop superstar Taylor Swift have flooded the internet, and we don’t need to calm down. Now, you can digitally undress her or create your own explicit deepfake starring her. Imagine an immersive environment where a scorned ex invites others to collectively view a sexually explicit deepfake video of the girl who rejected him. They never taped a video, but due to advances in deepfake technology, it’s impossible to distinguish whether it’s real or fake. From a policy perspective, a handful of states have laws against the creation or sharing of these types of sexually explicit deepfakes.

Persons: Laurie Segall, Taylor Swift, Laurie Segall Angie Speranza Swift, I’ve, Swift, Mary Anne Franks, we’re, “ We’ve, ” Franks, —, Franks, Don’t Organizations: Tech’s Titans, CNN, George Washington University, ”, “ Locations: New York, Vermont

SEATTLE (AP) — The governor of Washington on Tuesday called for the state to develop best practices on how agencies should use generative artificial intelligence as it continues to incorporate the technology into government operations. Wes Moore signed an executive order creating an AI subcabinet that will develop a plan to create appropriate guardrails for agencies’ use of AI. The executive order in Washington highlights the huge potential for generative AI, including how it could be beneficial for language translation, code generation and contract management. And he called for state agencies, along with tribal governments, community members and others to come up with best practices for how agencies should evaluate the impact this technology could have on vulnerable communities. “Our goal is to help the state continue using generative AI in ways that help the public while putting up guardrails around uses that present a lot of risk,” said Katy Ruckle, the state’s chief privacy officer.

Persons: “, Jay Inslee, Wes Moore, ”, Katy Ruckle Organizations: SEATTLE, Democratic Gov, Maryland Gov, Biden Locations: Washington, “

The public backlash persists over the fake, sexually explicit images of Taylor Swift that recently circulated online. The pornographic and digitally altered images of the superstar singer-songwriter and musician spread last week on social media websites such as X, formerly Twitter. The images were deepfakes, a relatively new term for a seemingly realistic but manipulated video or photo produced by a form of AI. But the proliferation of such deepfakes is getting the attention of government officials – both nationally and at the state level. Additionally, at least the 10 states below now have legislation that specifically targets those who create and share explicit deepfake content, as reported by USA Today.

Persons: Taylor Swift, ”, Judith Germano, –, Joe Biden, Germano, ” Germano Organizations: Organization for Social Media Safety, NYU School of Law, Management, “, USA

☆ Kids aren’t safe on social media, lawmakers say. Tech CEOs are back in DC this week to pledge (again) that they’ll handle it
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Brian Fung | Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Until now, the social platforms have largely had the same response: We’ll help teens and families make smart decisions themselves. But now, with growing claims that social media can hurt young users, including worries that it risks driving them to depression or even suicide, online safety advocates say that response falls far short. This month Meta announced a proposed blueprint for federal legislation calling for app stores, not social media companies, to verify users’ ages and enforce an age minimum. Safety action beyond CongressAs efforts to rein in tech platforms have ground to a standstill on Capitol Hill, much of the momentum for regulating social media has picked up outside the halls of Congress. Elsewhere, state-backed and consumer lawsuits against the companies are ramping up pressure to regulate tech platforms as the litigation reveals more about their inner workings.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Linda Yaccarino, Evan Spiegel, Jason Citron, ”, Jeff Chester, TikTok, ’, Meta, ’ Instagram, Frances Haugen, Josh Golin, Zamaan Qureshi, Qureshi, Elon Musk, X, ” Golin Organizations: CNN, —, Center for Digital Democracy, Meta, Center, ” Locations: —, Arkansas , Louisiana , Ohio , Utah, Austin , Texas

☆ Political Pressure Builds on Biden to Strike Iran After US Deaths
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

That allowed Biden the political space to mete out U.S. retaliation, inflicting costs on Iran-backed forces without risking a direct war with Tehran. Republicans accused Biden of letting American forces become sitting ducks, waiting for the day when a drone or missile would evade base defenses. In response, they say Biden must strike Iran. "The only answer to these attacks must be devastating military retaliation against Iran's terrorist forces, both in Iran and across the Middle East." "Unless the U.S. prepared for an all out war, what does attacking Iran get us," the official said.

Persons: Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali WASHINGTON, Joe Biden, he's, Biden, Tom Cotton, Mike Rogers, they've, Rogers, Donald Trump, Joe Biden's, Barbara Lee, Seth Moulton, —, Moulton, Jonathan Lord, Lord, Charles Lister, Lister, Israel, Qassem Soleimani, Simon Lewis, Paul Thomasch, Diane Craft Organizations: Republican U.S, Republican, U.S, Representatives, Tehran, Biden, Democratic, Iranian, Center, New, East Institute, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, United, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps Locations: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Yemen, Israel, Jordan's, Tehran, United States, Gaza, New American, Washington, U.S, Damascus, Jan

☆ Tech Chiefs From Meta, TikTok and Others to Testify on Child Safety Online
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Cecilia Kang | Mike Isaac | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota judge ruled Tuesday that he won’t block a part of a state law that doctors say puts them at risk of prosecution if they perform an abortion to save a patient’s life or health. Republican state Sen. Janne Myrdal, who brought the 2023 bill revising revising the laws, welcomed the judge's ruling. The judge granted a preliminary injunction blocking the ban from taking effect in 2022, a decision the state Supreme Court upheld in March. In June, the clinic filed an amended complaint, joined by several doctors in obstetrics, gynecology and maternal-fetal medicine. ___This story has been corrected to show that The Red River Women’s Clinic sued the state in 2022, not last year.

Persons: Bruce Romanick, “, ”, Meetra Mehdizadeh, Mehdizadeh, ’, Sen, Janne Myrdal, U.S . Supreme Court’s Dobbs, Roe, Wade, Wade —, Jon Jensen, Doug Burgum Organizations: N.D, Center for Reproductive, Republican, Women’s Clinic, U.S, U.S . Supreme Locations: BISMARCK, North Dakota, U.S ., Fargo, Moorhead , Minnesota, North

ATLANTA (AP) — A bill to define antisemitism in Georgia law stalled in 2023 over how it should be worded. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesThe committee also advanced Senate Bill 359 on a split vote. The law would also make any two crimes subject to Georgia's hate crimes law eligible for prosecution under the state's expansive anti-racketeering statute. Arkansas passed such a law last year, and like in Georgia, a South Carolina measure passed one chamber in 2023. Others don’t oppose a law, but object to the measure defining antisemitism by referring to a definition adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

Persons: ”, Esther Panitch, Marissa Pyle, Brian Kemp, Bill, Israel, Asim Javed, Javed, Elizabeth Baher, Macon's Temple Beth Israel, “, ” Baher, David Lubin, He's, Rose Lubin, Lubin, Hitler Organizations: ATLANTA, Israel, Hamas, Democratic, Rep, Georgians, Gov, Republican, International Holocaust, Alliance, Georgia Muslim Voter, Atlanta's Dunwoody High School Locations: Georgia, Sandy Springs, Israel, Arkansas, South Carolina, Indiana , Florida , Massachusetts , New Jersey, South Dakota, Macon's Temple, Atlanta, Jerusalem

☆ H&M pulls school uniform ad in Australia after complaints it sexualized children
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —H&M has apologized for and removed a school uniform advertisement in Australia after users on social media complained that it sexualized children. “We have removed this ad,” the Swedish fashion giant told CNN. Australian writer Melinda Tankard Reist, who says her work addresses sexualization and the harms of pornography, was among the first on social media to oppose the ad. “What is your intention with this sponsored Facebook ad?” she posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Little schoolgirls generally don’t want to ‘turn heads.’ The large numbers I engage with in schools want to be left alone to learn and have fun and not draw unwanted attention to their appearance.”

Persons: “, ”, Melinda Tankard Reist Organizations: CNN Locations: Australia, Swedish

☆ Opinion: ‘Origin’ brilliantly exposes America’s caste system. Here’s how we tear it down
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Keith Magee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

And underpinning that racism is what Wilkerson refers to as a caste system so effective at preserving the domination of White people over everyone else that the Nazis were inspired by it. Caste, Wilkerson says, is the system that creates subjugation. We watch Isabel exploring Germany’s poignant memorials to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, discussing in one scene how successfully post-war Germany condemned its 12-year caste system to the past. Among Black Americans, attitudes to race are evolving. Every single one of us has skin in the game, for, as Wilkerson points out, the caste system diminishes us all, wherever we may sit in its fabricated hierarchy.

Persons: Keith Magee, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, “ We’ve, Keith Magee Arron Dunworth, Ava DuVernay, Isabel Wilkerson’s, Wilkerson, ”, —, ” Keith Magee, DuVernay, Aunjanue Ellis, Taylor, Du Bois, Martin Luther King Jr, it’s, Ellis, Isabel, MAGA, Hurt, ” Wilkerson, don’t, It’s Organizations: University College London Institute for Innovation, CNN, GOP, Fox News, Black Locations: White, India, Nazi Germany, Black, Germany

☆ Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg makes biggest pledge to AI yet
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Thursday that Meta plans to build its own artificial general intelligence, known as AGI, which is artificial intelligence that meets or surpasses human intelligence in almost all areas. Zuckerberg’s latest announcement is one of its biggest pledges to double down on artificial intelligence. Big Tech companies including Microsoft, Google and Amazon continue to share new AI tools and visions amid a heightened and renewed AI arms race. Earlier this year, Zuckerberg said Meta is creating a new “top-level product group” to “turbocharge” the company’s work on AI tools. “That trope around ‘every company is now a technology company’ has evolved to be every company is now an AI company,” he said.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, “, ”, Meta, GenAI, Ray Ban Meta, Ray, turbocharge, Dipanjan Chatterjee Organizations: CNN, Meta, FAIR, AIs, Big Tech, Microsoft, Google, Forrester Research, Facebook

BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (AP) — Some local residents and an animal-rights group are protesting plans for a monkey-breeding facility in southwest Georgia. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesThe Bainbridge facility would provide a domestic source of monkeys to offset imports, the company said. “PETA urges Bainbridge officials to withdraw their support and shut down this project before a shovel hits the dirt," she wrote. The company and local officials said the nonprofit and community's concerns are baseless. Local officials in December agreed to property tax breaks for the project — waiving them for the first 10 years and then gradually decreasing tax breaks until they end after 20 years.

Persons: didn’t, Charles River, we’d, ” Ted Lee, Lisa Jones, Engel, ” Jones, Bainbridge, Rick McCaskill, ” McCaskill Organizations: Council, Medicine, Charles River Laboratories, PETA, Development Authority of, Local Locations: BAINBRIDGE, Ga, Georgia, Bainbridge, Cambodia, Brazoria County , Texas, Houston, U.S, Development Authority of Bainbridge & Decatur County

☆ Proposed Kroger, Albertsons merger will take more time to close as scrutiny continues
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Supermarket chain Kroger's proposed acquisition of rival Albertsons is now expected to close in the first half of Kroger's fiscal year 2024 instead of early this year. Kroger, Albertsons and C&S Wholesale Grocers said they are in "active and ongoing dialogue" with the Federal Trade Commission and individual state attorneys general, according to the joint statement. In a bid to close the proposed $24.6 billion deal, Kroger agreed in September to divest 413 stores and eight distribution centers to C&S for $1.9 billion. With regulatory approval, the merger may require C&S to purchase an additional 237 stores from Kroger and Albertsons, Kroger said last year. Washington state's attorney general filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to block the proposed merger, calling it "harmful" for shoppers and workers.

Persons: Rodney McMullen, Kroger, —, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez Organizations: Albertsons, Antitrust, Consumer, Capitol, S Wholesale Grocers, Federal Trade Commission, Kroger, Safeway, Acme, Washington, & $ Locations: Washington, Sens, Alexandria

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa principal who put himself in harm’s way to protect students during a school shooting earlier this month died Sunday, a funeral home confirmed. Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home & Crematory confirmed the death of Perry High School Principal Dan Marburger after the family announced it on a GoFundMe page. An 11-year-old middle school student was killed in the shooting, and six other people were injured. Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation spokesman Mitch Mortvedt said after the shooting that Marburger did some “pretty significant things” to protect others, but didn’t release details. Perry Superintendent Clark Wicks said Marburger was a “hero” who intervened with the teenage gunman so students could escape.

Persons: Caldwell Parrish, Crematory, Dan Marburger, Marburger, Marburger “, Marburger's, Elizabeth, “ Dan, Perry, Claire Marburger, ”, “ That’s, ” Marburger, Mitch Mortvedt, Clark Wicks, Ahmir Jolliff, Mortvedt, Dylan Butler, “, ___ Ahmed, Josh Funk Organizations: DES, Perry High School, of Public Safety, ”, Iowa, Criminal, Authorities, Associated Press Locations: DES MOINES, Iowa, An Iowa, Minneapolis, Omaha , Nebraska

☆ Opinion: How did we get to this point in Yemen?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Peter Bergen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

(Not a great time to have had an initially incommunicado, and still-hospitalized, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who authorized the strikes in Yemen from his hospital bed on Thursday.) The Houthis, who were once a ragtag militia with the purely local aim of trying to overthrow the Yemen government, are now projecting Iranian power, not only in the Red Sea but across the region. In other words, just as Hezbollah in Lebanon, 1,500 miles to the north of Yemen, is effectively an arm of the Iranian government, so too now are the Houthis. Those weapons have also been used to attack oil facilities in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, the capital of the Saudi-allied United Arab Emirates, and, more recently, have targeted Israel as well. Yet, Saudi Arabia is a key reason that the Houthis are now so closely allied to Iran and so well armed.

Persons: Peter Bergen, Osama bin Laden, Joe Biden, Defense Lloyd Austin, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, “, Biden Organizations: New, Arizona State University, Apple, Spotify, CNN, Defense, United Nations, United Locations: New America, Yemen, Israel, Red, Suez, Lebanon, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Riyadh, Gaza, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Iranian

☆ Affiliate marketing is becoming a PR nightmare for some brands as it strips their control over who promotes a product
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Amanda Perelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"Sweet Loren's is not in any way affiliated with or working with Colleen previously, now, or in the future. We also did not pay any commission for sales through the attached affiliate link." An affiliate link is a custom link generated by an affiliate marketing platform that lets the influencer earn a small commission from every product or service sold using the link. Sweet Loren's could presumably appeal to Walmart or YouTube to remove Ballinger from their affiliate program. But when an influencer organically promotes a product or service and links to an affiliate link, the brand typically has no involvement, as most brands work with a third-party affiliate network.

Persons: YouTuber Colleen Ballinger, Ballinger, Miranda Sings, cohost Trisha Paytas, she's, Ballinger hasn't, it's, Loren's, TikTok, commenter, hadn't, Sweet Loren's, Colleen, Sweet, There's, Conor Begley Organizations: Business, YouTube, Walmart

☆ Snapchat to let parents decide whether their teens can use the app’s AI chatbot
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Snapchat will now give parents the option to block their teens from interacting with the app’s “My AI” chatbot following some questions about the tool’s safety for young people. Thursday’s announcement is part of a broader set of additions to Snapchat’s parental oversight tool Family Center. The changes are just the latest updates to Family Center, which lets parents supervise the behavior of 13- to 17-year-old users. Snapchat will now let parents decide whether their teen can chat with the app's My AI chatbot. The platform is also aiming to make Family Center easier to find.

Persons: New York CNN — Snapchat, Snapchat, ”, Evan Spiegel, Spiegel Organizations: New, New York CNN, Family, Center, YouTube, Google, Meta Locations: New York

☆ The Epstein story may not be the fantastical conspiracy of blackmail and murder that drew you in. But it is disgusting — and more common than you think.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Haven Orecchio-Egresitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

In the end, the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case caused international intrigue because of its ties to some of the wealthiest, most high-profile names in the world. AdvertisementBut, in the end, the story of Jeffrey Epstein and his entourage of accusers is not all that uncommon. Donald Trump, Melania Knauss, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell pose together at Mar-a-Lago club, Palm Beach, Florida. Speaking generally, textbook sex trafficking victims have had to live most of their lives like this. Maybe Jeffrey Epstein was assassinated in his jail cell to keep the rich and powerful safe.

Persons: —, Jeffrey Epstein, Peter Nygard, Kelly, NXVIM, Jeffrey Epstein's, James, Gabriel Lopez Albarran, Epstein, Maura Healey, aren't, Stacey Gallagher, Gallager, Virginia Guiffre, Donald Trump, Melania Knauss, Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey, Harvey Weinstein, Maxwell, they're, Michael Caine, Dave Benett, Jacob Shamsian, I've, Ghislaine Organizations: Service, Business, AP, Virgin Islands, vacationland, johns, Mar, Davidoff, FBI, Department of Justice Locations: Little St, Virgin, Cape, vacationland USA, Virginia, Palm Beach , Florida, Palm Beach, West Palm, British, Chelsea, London

☆ We're a month into the Ultimate World Cruise that's taken over TikTok, and the drama we were promised may actually be about to materialize
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Sirena Bergman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

It's the most viral vacation ever taken — the Royal Caribbran Ultimate World Cruise. Viewers anticipated explosive drama in the days following the cruise's departureAs early as December 11, the first full day on the ship, passengers began sharing their experiences. Advertisement"I guarantee there's going to be love, fun, excitement, and drama," said cruise follower Bad YaYa in the first of at least 24 videos she's created for her Ultimate World Cruise playlist. Stories from aboard the cruise began to emergeMore and more passengers — or, as some have called them, "cast members" — began posting on TikTok. Ultimate World Cruise followers also discovered the Facebook group where those who had already signed up for the cruise had been communicating (hosted by Royal Caribbean, the group boasts 438 members).

Persons: —, it's, Kara Harms, CruiseTok, Bad YaYa, she's, Angie Linderman, Joe Martucci, TikTokers, who's, Anthony McWilliams, recapper, @uksecrettravel, TikTokers breathlessly, Adita, stirrer, Marc Sebastian, Sebastian Organizations: Service, Business, Royal, New York Times, Facebook, Royal Caribbean, USA Locations: Miami, Royal Caribbean, TikTok, Brazil, Uruguay

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