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☆ Fact Check-Image of Joe Biden eating ice cream in Ukraine is digitally altered
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A photograph of U.S. President Joe Biden eating an ice cream during a visit to Ohio in 2021 has been digitally altered to include a Ukrainian street food joint in the background. The images that compose this digital montage can be found on Reuters Pictures (here) and the Foursquare profile of the fast food joint in Kyiv (archive.ph/D7rR5). The photo of Biden shows him eating ice-cream during a visit to Ohio on May 27, 2021, per the Reuters caption. The food establishment Kyivska Perepichka, viewable on Google Maps (goo.gl/maps/6mVjmHvYHrnQxWS37), serves traditional street food item Perepichka, a sausage wrapped in deep fried dough, as explained by Taste Atlas (www.tasteatlas.com/perepichka). An image of U.S. President Biden was digitally altered to add a photo of a street food joint in Kyiv.

☆ A fat cat has become the top-rated tourist attraction in a Polish city with a perfect 5-star average on Google Maps
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Stephanie Stacey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A black-and-white cat named Gacek is the top-rated tourist attraction in Szczecin, Poland. The fat feline has a perfect five-star rating on Google Maps. Gacek has a perfect five-star rating on Google Maps. The rotund feline has beaten out Szczecin's other tourist hotspots, including a Pomeranian Dukes' Castle built in 1346. A local animal shelter has urged visitors not to feed Gacek, per Gazeta.pl.

☆ TikTok planning two more data centers in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Chinese social media company TikTok plans to open two more data centers in Europe, a senior executive said Friday, in a move that could mitigate concerns over the security of users’ data and ease regulatory pressure on the company. The short video sharing app, owned by China’s ByteDance, aims to expand its European data storage, TikTok’s general manager for operations in Europe Rich Waterworth said in a blog post. The European Commission had given online platforms and search engines until February 17 to publish the number of their monthly active users. Very large online platforms have four months to comply with the rules, or risk fines. Twitter said Thursday that it has 100.9 million average monthly users in the European Union, based on an estimation of the last 45 days.

☆ Google, Twitter, Meta face tougher EU online content rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google, Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) and Twitter face stricter EU online content rules according to monthly user numbers published by the companies on Thursday which exceeded the EU threshold. The European Commission had given online platforms and search engines until Feb. 17 to publish their monthly active users. Very large online platforms have four months to comply with the rules or risk fines. Twitter said it has 100.9 million average monthly users in the EU, based on an estimation of the last 45 days. It said the average monthly number of signed-in users totalled 278.6 million at Google Maps, 274.6 million at Google Play, 332 million at Google Search, 74.9 million at Shopping and 401.7 million at YouTube.

☆ The sneaky ways Instacart gets you to buy more stuff
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

'Dark patterns' push online shoppers to buy things in a way they normally would not. Dark patterns have become common online, especially on shopping websitesInstacart is far from alone in using dark patterns. While reviewing Walmart's website, Merchant Machine said it encountered a message that read: "Items in your cart are selling fast! California became the first state to ban dark patterns, with a law that took effect in March 2021. The Federal Trade Commission has also ordered some companies that use dark patterns to stop using them.

☆ Fact Check-Video of London Ambulance blocked by ‘low traffic neighbourhood’ filters is from 2021
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Footage of an ambulance navigating around wooden roadblocks during a “low traffic neighbourhood” (LTN) trial in Ealing, West London, is from 2021 but is being shared online as if new. “This footage is of a low traffic neighbourhood scheme that was removed in May 2021, so it’s not contemporaneous footage,” an Ealing Council spokesperson told Reuters. The area of Ealing is identifiable by visible road signs indicating the area is a controlled parking area in the area called “Zone GG” (here). Reuters previously addressed misleading narratives about a traffic filter scheme in Oxford, including that it is a “climate lockdown” here and here . The video of a London Ambulance rerouting around traffic filters is not new but was filmed during a low traffic neighbourhood trial in Ealing, which finished in 2021.

☆ Fact Check-Video shows a Goodyear blimp, not a UFO or alien spacecraft
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A video of a Goodyear blimp flying over New Jersey in 2020 is being shared online as if it is recent footage of a UFO. A tweet sharing the video said: “UFO BREAKING: REAL ALIEN SPACECRAFT CAPTURED ON HIGHWAY” (here). CBS 8 San Diego aired a closer view of the Goodyear blimp at the time, acknowledging that residents confused the blimp for a UFO (here). In 2018, an alleged UFO sighting turned out to be a Goodyear blimp covering a NASCAR race, according to news reports at the time (here) and (here). The object in the video is a Goodyear blimp in New Jersey in 2020, not a recent UFO sighting.

☆ A couple took an electric car on a 1,500 mile road trip. They had to stop 12 times and forgo heat due to their range anxiety.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An Axios reporter took a Kia EV6 on a 1,500 mile road trip. She and her husband stopped to charge the car 12 times over the course of the trip from Michigan to Florida. Axios reporter Joann Muller said her husband took the electric car on a 1,500 mile road trip — she joined him part-way through — to see if the US is truly ready for mass EV adoption. While EV range continues to improve, charging infrastructure still poses a major hurdle for electric-vehicle adoption. Earlier this year, the Biden Administration rolled out a $5 billion funding plan to improve EV charging infrastructure.

☆ Russia has spent 9 months bleeding troops to try to capture a city with limited strategic value, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russia has spent nine months trying to capture Bakhmut in a slow and brutal campaign. Experts say the city does not even have that much strategic value. Ukrainians fighting in the city say it has been a "living hell" for months, while commanders on both sides have called the battle a "meat grinder." But ultimately, experts say, the city may not be important enough to justify the effort and expense Russia has put into it. A map showing the location of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.

☆ Brazilian fishermen follow instructions from wild dolphins to know where to throw their nets, video shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A video shows a rare example of wild dolphins collaborating with humans to fish in a small lagoon in Brazil. The dolphins learned how to tell the humans exactly when to throw their nets to catch the most fish. The fishers need the dolphins to know when to cast their netsFishermen toss these circular nets to catch the fish in the water. After the net is cast, the dolphins can catch stray fish or pick a few fish out of the net. The Laguna dolphins are about 13% more likely to reach old age, per the study.

A map of Turkey showing the city of Kahramanmaras in relation to the epicenter of the earthquake. A set of before and after images that show how a block in the downtown Kahramanmaras area was turned to rubble by the earthquake. For days, rescue teams and family members have been working through rubble of collapsed buildings throughout the city. Residential buildings Before Residential buildings After Google Maps Street View from November 2022; Adem Altan/Agence France-Presse, via Getty Images from Feb. 7, 2023On many blocks, only a few buildings remain. A set of before and after images that show another block of residential buildings destroyed, leaving the Clarion Hotel Kahramanmaras standing alone.

☆ The top 10 best U.S. airports—2 of them are in Florida
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Getting to the airport, through security, and to your gate can either be an easy journey or a pretty daunting task. If you travel enough, you're already programmed to expect long wait times and crowded gates. Power, AWT, Google Maps, and Airport Tracker to rank the airports. The report found that the Tampa International airport in Florida had the highest score for passenger satisfaction, with a score of 846/1000. On the other end, Newark Liberty International airport received the lowest score with 719/1000.

☆ Ex-Google engineer said his former employer isn't taking AI seriously after demoing its new tools in Paris
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Maarten Bosma, an ex-Google Brain engineer, said in a tweet that Alphabet isn't taking AI seriously. Bosma's tweet comes after Google demoed its latest AI tools in Paris, including ChatGPT rival Bard. Some critics called Google's demo "frankly, bad" and a "disaster" amid a growing AI arms race. "I think the Google presentation signaled (rightfully or wrongly) that they are not really taking it seriously," Bosma tweeted. Microsoft' demo "was presented as a revolution," while Google's demo was presented as a "disaster," Marcus wrote.

☆ Fact Check-Video clip of flock of birds flying above motorway was filmed in Texas U.S., pre-dates Turkey earthquakes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A video clip showing a flock of birds flying over a motorway was not filmed moments before deadly earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6. The clip was filmed in low light from a vehicle and shows a flock of birds flying above a motorway, with social media users falsely claiming that it was filmed in Turkey shortly before the two earthquakes hit. The clip is not recent, nor was it filmed in Turkey. The clip was filmed on a motorway in Houston, Texas. The video clip was filmed on a motorway in Texas, United States, in January 2017.

☆ New AI-powered Google Maps will help electric-car owners find a charging station to power up and get back on the road within 40 minutes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Google maps will now help electric vehicles find charging stations more quickly. Its new features will deploy artificial intelligence to assist EV drivers looking to power up. A "very fast charging filter" can help EVs charge in a hurry, Google Geo head Chris Phillips said. While many EV drivers charge their vehicles at home, longer drives necessitate careful organization. Last year, a reporter from The Wall Street Journal said a lack of EV charging sites and accurate charging maps left her spending more time waiting for her car to charge then sleeping during a 2,000-mile road trip.

☆ Despite Alphabet's AI event flop — remember, Google dominates search for now. That's what matters
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

While Microsoft's new AI capabilities could take some market share from Alphabet, Google is still the unshakable leader in search. Alphabet also showed AI-enabled capabilities to Google Maps and Google Lens, allowing users to search for images from their phone's camera. Looking at Alphabet's total revenue of $76.05 billion during the fourth quarter , about 57% came from Google Search & Other. But data from Statcounter shows Google accounts for 93% of search engine market share in all platforms including desktop, tablet and mobile, overshadowing Bing's 3% market share. But Google search, the preferred platform for users, still has the edge with advertisers over Microsoft's Bing.

☆ Fact Check-Years-old video of tidal wave in South Africa wrongly linked to 2023 Turkey earthquake
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A video showing waves lashing a beach in Durban, South Africa has been online since at least 2017. The clip has been miscaptioned online as if showing a tsunami in Turkey, following the devastating earthquake that struck the country on Feb. 6. Reuters geolocated the footage to South Beach, Durban, near a water park (goo.gl/maps/KQEspMDu21GyBLm68). Misinformation is often circulated online following catastrophic events. The video shows a heavy tidal wave on a beach in Durban, South Africa, and dates to 2017.

☆ Fact Check-Video of scaffolding collapse on high-rise building was captured in Tama, Tokyo, not Turkey or Syria during Feb. 6 earthquake
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Footage of scaffolding peeling off the side of a high-rise building has been posted online next to a claim that it shows an incident during the Feb. 6, 2023, Turkey-Syria earthquake. However, the video was captured at least seven years ago in Tama, Tokyo. One Facebook user (here and archived: here) uploaded the recording alongside information about the quake which has killed more than 5,000 people (here and here)However, the video is unrelated to the 2023 earthquakes. Geolocation on Google Maps shows the video was captured in the Japanese city of Tama, Tokyo (bit.ly/3RCYrY8). The video is unrelated to the Turkey-Syria earthquake as it is at least seven years old and was recorded in Tama, Tokyo.

☆ Fact Check-Clip of wooden cabin being swept away pre-dates Turkey-Syria earthquake
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A clip of a red wooden cabin being swept away by a storm surge was not filmed following two powerful earthquakes that struck Turkey and northwest Syria on Feb. 6. The clip was filmed in Greenland and shows a tsunami that hit a village in June 2017. Examples of the clip being shared as if it showed the aftermath of the earthquake that hit Turkey on Monday can be viewed (here) and (here). A 7.8 magnitude quake first hit Turkey and northwest Syria before sunrise, followed by a 7.7 magnitude quake in the afternoon (here). The clip was filmed in a village in Greenland and was uploaded to YouTube in April 2021.

☆ A 1960s apartment in Greenwich Village is on the market for $1.65 million, and it's completely covered in plywood paneling — check it out
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A 1960s apartment in the heart of Greenwich Village is on the market for $1.65 million. A Google Maps capture of the exterior of Village House Condominium in Manhattan. Google MapsLocated in Village House Condominium, the two-bedroom apartment was owned by the late Sonja Alaimo, her friend and trustee John McIntyre told Insider. The apartment was first listed for sale for $2.3 million in October 2015, before it was taken down in April 2016, per listing records. The condo was listed again in early January for $1.75 million, before it was reduced to $1.65 million in late January two weeks after Alaimo's death.

☆ Fact Check-Photo of tattoo parlour promotion for swastika removal has been digitally altered
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A photo of a tattoo parlour claimed on social media to be taken in Ukraine has been digitally altered to suggest the business is offering a half price promotion for removing swastika tattoos. A reverse image search found the tattoo parlour is in Russia, has a different name and does not display such an advertisement. The edited image shows a sign on a building for a parlour called “Tattoo Master” and displays an additional promotion that reads in misspelled Ukrainian: “Going to Europe? Reuters geolocated the photo of the tattoo parlour using Google Maps and file images, confirming its location (here!4m5!3m4!1s0x42c4ac0da3f02045:0x4cbe3f28be0c458a!8m2!3d52.5392795!4d85.2196803?hl=en ). Photo shared alongside claim has been digitally altered and the tattoo parlour is in Russia, not Ukraine.

☆ Some donations from George Santos' failed 2020 campaign are attributed to addresses that don't exist, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Mother Jones tried to track down donors listed in George Santos' 2020 campaign filings. In one case, Santos' 2020 campaign filings listed a $2,500 donation from an individual named Stephen Berger at a Brawley, California address. However, the location is associated with William Brandt, a longtime California rancher and Republican donor, and his wife, Mother Jones reported. There were also instances where the addresses of reported donors did not exist. On his resume, Santos listed jobs he never held, such as project manager at Goldman Sachs and asset manager associate at Citigroup.

☆ A TikToker said he won an award for being the first to Google an obscure phrase. The elaborate hoax reached millions and sparked a copycat trend.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Andrew Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A TikToker went viral after he claimed to win an award from Google after searching a unique phrase. The next day, Justin shared a follow-up video that was viewed 3 million times, with the on-screen caption "I got another!!" Not everyone believed Justin, but his videos sparked a trend regardlessCombined, the videos received over 2,500 comments, many of which speculated whether the award was authentic. Soon after, multiple TikTok users started documenting their attempts to win an award from Google for a unique search. A spokesperson for Google confirmed to Insider the award "does not currently exist" and said 15% of the searches they see every day are new.

Big Olaf Creamery has been ordered to pay $4 million to the estate of Mary Billman, a 79-year-old Illinois woman whose death has been linked to a listeria outbreak traced to the Florida-based ice cream maker. Included in Judge William Jung’s ruling are $1 million Big Olaf will have to pay in punitive damages. Big Olaf Creamery in Siesta Key, Fla. Google Maps"Her pain and suffering and resulting death, and ultimate loss to her family and friends, cannot be understated," the suit said. A subsequent investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration prompted a Dec. 9 warning letter finding Big Olaf in "serious violation" of U.S. health codes. A representative for Big Olaf could not be reached for comment.

☆ Woman, 29, arrested after enrolling at New Jersey high school posing as student, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A 29-year-old woman was arrested last week after she spent four days fraudulently enrolled in a New Jersey high school as a student, school district officials said. New Brunswick Public School District Superintendent Aubrey Johnson said Tuesday at a Board of Education meeting that Shin had attended New Brunswick High School for several days before she was caught. New Brunswick High School in New Jersey. During her days in school, Shin spent a lot of time with guidance counselors who were trying to find out more information about her, Johnson said. NBC News has asked the school district for comment.

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